Five Brothers: A Look Into The Past
by Jessie Halliwel
Summary: Four Brothers Story. This story takes place a year after Evelyn's death as Sam Mercer, the youngest Mercer child, remembers how her adventures with her brothers started. Click to read more.
1. Missing Mom

It's been a year since Mom's death and I'm still shaken up about it. I mean, I didn't go around crying all the time like the first couple of months after she died. But, it did still hurt to look at a picture of her or something like that. For those of you who have lost someone, you know how it is. The pain is always there deep down, but it doesn't really come out until something triggers it. Today was one of those days. I stood in front of Mom's grave, staring at her name carved into her tombstone. She was a beautiful woman, physically, mentally, and emotionally. In every way. I smiled, remembering that was my first thought about her when I met her for the first time. I got on my knees and gently placed the flowers I had bought over Mom's grave. She loved flowers. I jumped and put a hand to my face as I felt something on my cheek. When I touched my skin, it felt wet. I didn't even know until know that I was crying. How had that happened? I thought I had done all my crying. I guess I had a few tears still left in me. But I didn't want to cry anymore. It hurt too much. It made me miss her more.

(Eleven Years Ago)

It had been a few weeks since I had moved in with Ms. Evelyn and her four sons. I still refused to talk to anyone. No one had a problem with it, which was weird. By now, other people would have been mad at me for my stubbornness. But in the Mercer house, my behavior went unpunished. I was starting to like it here. I couldn't get to comfortable though. Soon this family would get sick of me like all the others and send me back to a foster home like some kind of package.

"I'm home," I heard Ms. Evelyn's voice from downstairs.

I listened as she told the boys to take some groceries to the kitchen and asked where I was. Jack told her I was still in our room, having checked on me every hour. He had become very protective of me, even though we had only known each other for a short time. I liked that he gave me my space, as did the rest of the family. Well, Bobby kind of annoyed me when he followed me around to make sure I didn't get into trouble or hurt myself somehow. But other than that, I was really grateful that no one tried to force me to talk or do something I didn't want to.

"Sam?" Ms. Evelyn called as she came up the stairs.

I lay on the floor on my stomach as I colored a picture of Ms. Evelyn. I quickly drew yellow swirls for her pretty hair. I wanted to finish it before she got in here. Just as I finished her blue eyes, Ms. Evelyn walked into the room. I looked up at her and she smiled at me.

"There you are. You were so quiet I couldn't find you," she said and walked over to me. "What are you doing?"

I got to my feet and handed her the picture. She looked down at it and a genuine smile of happiness formed on her lips. She liked it.

"Is this me?" she asked, her blue eyes sparkling.

I nodded and looked down; shy by how she was reacting. She's the only person who liked my drawings. All the other families I had been with always pointed out my mistakes or said I could do better than what I did. Ms. Evelyn knelt down in front of me and picked up a crayon.

"Will you sign it for me? When you become a famous artist, I want everyone to know I had your first picture," she said and I giggled.

I took the crayon from her and signed my name on the picture.

"Thank you for the picture, honey," Ms. Evelyn said and gave me a hug.

I snuggled into her embrace, loving it when she hugged me. And she truly hugged me like she loved me.

"Why don't you come downstairs with me? You need to get out of this room," Ms. Evelyn said, looking into my eyes for an answer.

I nodded and she smiled, picking me up and carrying me out of the room. I wrapped my arms around her neck and hugged her, receiving a laugh and a kiss on the cheek from her.

"Well, look who's come out into the sun," I heard Bobby say and turned to look at him.

I narrowed my eyes and he raised an eyebrow.

"I'm glad she doesn't talk, because judging by that look she would have some pretty nasty words to say," Bobby laughed as Ms. Evelyn carried me into the kitchen.

"Bobby, stop teasing her," Ms. Evelyn said as opened the refrigerator and took out the apple juice.

Ms. Evelyn poked a straw into the apple juice box and handed it to me. I smiled and sipped the juice through the straw as Ms. Evelyn walked into the living room to fold up some laundry. She sat on the couch and I sat beside her, sipping my juice as I watched whatever Jack was watching on TV. It was some kind of game with guys hitting a black thing with sticks. (Back then I didn't know about hockey.)

"Mom, we're going down to get some candy from the store," Bobby said as Jerry opened the front door.

"Don't eat any of it on your way home. If you spoil your appetite, I'll put my foot to your rear," Ms. Mercer warned and I laughed, almost choking on my juice.

Once I finished my juice, I got off of the couch and walked into the kitchen, tossing my juice box into the trash. I was about to walk out of the kitchen, but stopped when something caught my eye. I climbed onto the counter to get a better look out of the window. Outside, next to the garage was a rope hanging from the side door. I smiled, hopping down off of the counter and opening the back door. I ignored the cold fall air and ran outside, taking the rope from the garage door handle. I had lost my double dutch ropes the day Sydney was killed. I gripped the rope tightly in my hands as I thought of the way my sister's body hit the street as that car ran over her.

"Sam?" I looked up when I heard Ms. Evelyn's voice.

She came through the back door and over to me, kneeling down in front of me. She touched my face, wiping away my tears that had fallen from my eyes.

"What's the matter, sweetie?" she asked, gently pulling me into a hug.

I didn't answer her as I pushed away from her and ran back inside the house. I ran till I got to my room, slammed the door shut and locked it. I through myself on my bed and cried till my throat was sore and I couldn't produce anymore tears. I heard Ms. Evelyn outside of my room, trying to get in as she listened to my crying. I gripped my stomach, feeling like I couldn't breathe as I cried harder than I ever had in my life.

I don't know much time I spent crying or how long I had been in my room. But I knew that I missed my sister. And I missed her so much that it made me sick.

(End of flashback)

I sighed, sitting on the cold ground next to Mom's grave. People say it gets easier everyday to let go. It does, believe me. But I wish it could go faster. I wasn't like my brothers. I acted strong and tough, but I wasn't like they were. Damn, I hated being the only woman in the family. I felt like some poor defenseless little girl all the time that needed her brothers to protect her. I wasn't a shy little girl anymore. I was a Mercer brother, not sister. Still, I felt so vulnerable that it made me want to throw something. I was good for doing that when I was angry.

(I had no clue how to start this story and I was really confused about how to write this chapter. I hope you guys like it. Review!)


	2. Jack's Gone

I opened the front door of the house and walked in, hearing yelling from the living room: Bobby and Angel. I entered the living room and watched as my two brothers yelled at the TV screen. A hockey game was on and, from the looks of it, the team my brothers had been rooting for were loosing.

"I'm home," I said loudly to get their attention.

"What, do you want the royal treatment?" Bobby snorted, taking a momentary glance at me.

"Shut up." I wasn't in the mood for Bobby's sarcasm right now.

I ignored the comment coming from his mouth as I hurried upstairs. I removed my coat, walking into the room that I still shared with Jack. He wasn't home right now, having gone out to pick up some stuff for his guitar. Speaking of his guitar, it lay across his bed, out of its case. Jack must have been playing while I was gone. I moved over to his bed and picked up his guitar. He had five guitars all together. This was my favorite. I had tried to talk him into giving it to me. He said I could have it after he was dead and in the ground. That was the only way I was getting it. I lowered myself to the floor and grabbed a pick lying next to my black electric guitar. I immediately started playing Jack's guitar. It wasn't song; just little bits and pieces I had picked up over the years. I got caught up in the melody, having always had a thing for music. I wasn't the musician in the family. That was Jack. I was the artist. Mom always said so. She would get so proud when I created something new, even if it was crap. She had been the one that made me want to pursue in the arts. If she had never adopted me, there was no way that I would be trying to get into the school of performing arts.

I jumped as an envelope appeared in front of my face. I looked up and saw Jack was the one that was giving it to me.

"Don't scare me like that," I said, snatching the envelope from him.

Jack smirked, sitting down on his bed and taking off his leather jacket.

"When did you get home?" Jack asked, seeing that I was playing his guitar.

"Only about five minutes ago," I answered and read the front of the envelope.

It was from the school of performing arts. I had connections with a lady there and she said she would write to me and see what she could do to get me in. I didn't feel like reading it right now, so I just set it aside till I was in a better mood.

"Who's it from?" Jack asked, nodding his head at the letter.

I cracked a smile as I laughed. "As if you didn't hold it up to a light and read through the envelope."

Jack avoided looking into my eyes. I knew he had read the letter. He was a nosy little thing when it came to me. Before me, he had been the youngest in the family. But when I came along, he immediately took the role of big brother and protected me all the time.

"Here," I said, handing Jack his guitar.

He took it from me and started playing it himself. I smiled softly at whatever he was playing. That was the thing about Jack. He could make you feel good with a simple tune. Lord knows I needed it. Mom's death really made me think about things. As I watched Jack play his guitar, I thought of what life would be like without him. We had gotten very close to that scenario once.

**(Seven Years Ago)**

"**What are you talking about?" I heard Jack's voice from downstairs.**

**Hearing that he was home, I got panicky. I wasn't supposed to mess with his guitar when he wasn't around. I quickly put the guitar back in its case.**

"**Jack, sit down," Mom said as I walked over to the door.**

**Mom sounded sad about something and Jack had sounded upset when he first came in. Something was wrong. I slowly crept down the stairs, making sure no one knew I was listening in. From my spot on the stairs, I could just see into the dining room, where Mom sat and Jack was at the moment taking the seat beside her, a worried look stuck on his face.**

"**Mom, what's wrong?" Jack asked, seeing Mom was beyond saddened by whatever she had on her mind.**

**It scared me the way Mom closed her eyes and put her hands to her mouth like she wanted to cry, but not in front of Jack. Mom cried rarely. The waterworks only started when something bad happened.**

"**Is it Bobby?" was the first thing that I thought and the first thing to come from Jack's mouth.**

**Mom shook her head, sniffing back the tears she wanted to cry. She brushed her whitening hair out of her face and took Jack's hand. At the contact, Jack knew the problem had to do with him.**

"**Jack, I have to tell you something and I know you're not going to like it," Mom said, staring into Jack's eyes.**

"**Just tell me," Jack said, looking like he was going to have a heart attack if he waited any longer.**

"**Your real father and brother just got released from jail," was all Mom said, letting Jack take that in.**

**I moved further down the stairs to see Jack's reaction. He was frozen in his seat, his eyes wide with dread as he stared down at his hands. He had that vacant look in his eyes that he only got when one of us brought up his past.**

"**Jack, talk to me," Mom said quickly, knowing how Jack could get when he was scared.**

"**I'm fine," Jack said, his voice so low I barely heard him. "It's not like they can hurt me anymore, right?"**

**Uh oh. I didn't like Mom's expression. She wasn't agreeing with Jack. She still wasn't saying something. I could tell.**

"**There's something else," Mom said and Jack raised his eyes to look at her.**

"**They can't hurt me, right?" Jack's voice was shaking just as much as his hands.**

"**I'm not going to let them," Mom promised, taking Jack's face in her hands.**

"**Mom, what aren't you telling me?"**

**Mom's eyes began to water. "Jack, both your father and brother have cleaned up their acts for the courts. Your father wants you back. They're taking you away from me."**

"**No!" Jack screamed, jumping out of his seat. "They can't do that!"**

**Mom was on her feet now, trying to calm Jack, but my brother was already freaking out. How could they take Jack away from us, from me? He was my brother. They couldn't take him.**

"**How could you let them get custody of me?" Jack yelled at Mom as he backed away from her.**

"**I did everything I could," Mom said, tears now running from her eyes. "I tried everything, but the courts don't think I'm the best parent for you."**

**Jack was crying now to, breathing heavily as he became angry. "How could they think he's better than you? They know what he and my brother did to me!"**

**Mom couldn't take it anymore. She grabbed Jack and pulled him into a tight hug, needing to hold him close.**

"**Don't worry. I'll fight them. I'll get you back. I'm not going to let them hurt you. I promise," Mom said as Jack shook in her arms, crying.**

**I stood on the stairs, horrorstruck at what I had just heard. I had been told some things about Jack's father and his so-called brother. Jack couldn't go back to them. I didn't want him to go. I sat on one step, sobbing into my hands. Why did everyone I love leave me?**

(Sorry it took me so long to write this y'all. I've been working on other stories that I want to publish right now. I promise next time I will update sooner. Hope you like. Review!)


	3. Two Kids In Two Weeks

**(Seven Years Ago)**

**It had been a week since Jack left and I think it was taking a toll on everyone. Bobby had gotten arrested for assaulting the cops that had taking Jack away. Thank god we had the bail jar; a cookie jar mainly used for bailing my brothers out of jail. Mom just wasn't herself anymore. She stayed strong in front of the rest of us. But at night I could hear her in her room crying. She really missed Jack. I missed him to. I was also worried about him. I don't care if people thought his dad and brother changed. People like that don't change that easily.**

"**Sam," Mom said as we sat at the kitchen table. "You have to eat something."**

**I shook my head, turning away from the sandwich she had made me. I wasn't hungry. I hadn't been in a long time. Mom knew I was upset when I didn't eat.**

"**I made you some chocolate milk." Mom pushed a cup towards me.**

**Okay, that was cold. Mom knew I loved chocolate milk.**

"**Sweetie, please eat something for me," Mom begged, not wanting me to get sick from not eating.**

**I shook my head again before resting it over my folded arms on the table. Mom looked at me sadly, seeing as she wasn't going to win this battle.**

"**You just want to eat later?" Mom asked.**

**I nodded and she nodded to.**

"**Alright," Mom sighed, running a hand over my hair. "Come on."**

**Mom stood up and I took her hand. We were about to walk out of the kitchen when the phone rang. Mom walked over to it and answered it.**

"**Hello?" she asked politely as I climbed onto the counter and sat there, waiting for her to finish so we could head to my dance classes.**

**I watched Mom's face closely as she went from smiling to frowning to flaming mad.**

"**What!" she yelled at whoever she was talking to.**

**I listened completely now, nosier than usual. If Mom was mad, than the talk had to be juicy.**

"**You're not serious?" Mom huffed, her face turning red as she slammed her purse on the counter.**

**Bobby chose to walk in at that moment, raising an eyebrow when he saw Mom. He turned to me and shrugged.**

"**What's going on?" Bobby asked.**

"**I don't know. Shut up," I hissed, waving him off so I could listen to Mom.**

**Mom was full on shouting now, waving her hands around angrily.**

"**Sam, why don't you go get ready for dance class?" Bobby said, picking me up off of the counter and setting me down on the floor.**

"**But I want to hear this," I whined, still watching Mom.**

"**Get your butt out of here, nosey," Bobby said, pushing me out of the room with me complaining.**

"**You can't do that!" Mom was still going as Bobby forced me to go over to the stairs.**

"**Stay here," Bobby ordered and I stuck out my tongue.**

**Once Bobby went back into the kitchen, I listened as Mom continued to yell.**

"**There is no way in hell that I'm letting them get away with this!" Mom shouted and slammed the phone damn, hanging up on the person on the other side.**

"**Ma, what's up?" Bobby asked and I heard Mom sigh.**

"**Either someone has something against me or our lives are just shot to hell," Mom said, her voice breaking.**

"**Who was that on the phone?" Booby asked, sounding ready to hurt someone if they had upset Mom.**

**Mom was silent for a moment. As I peaked around the wall to see into the kitchen, Mom leaned against the counter, eyes narrow in angry.**

"**Bobby, two kids in two weeks," Mom said through gritted teeth as her hands balled into fists.**

**Bobby frowned in confusion, trying to figure out what Mom was talking about. I was working to understand what she was saying to. Suddenly, Bobby caught the meaning and his nostrils flared in rage.**

"**This is bullshit!" he shouted furiously, the salt shaker falling over as he hit the table.**

"**How can they do this? They already took Jackie from me. Now they want to take Sam to."**

**I gasped, taking a step back in shock. What did she mean they were taking me? Who was taking me? I didn't have any family who would want me. It didn't matter. I wouldn't leave. No one in the world could make me leave Mom and my brothers.**

**I turned back towards the kitchen when I heard someone coming. Bobby walked out of the kitchen, cocking the gun he had just pulled from his pants. Mom came running behind him.**

"**Bobby, don't you do this," Mom said, stepping in front of Bobby and putting her hands on his chest.**

"**You're right, Ma. They took Jackie and now they want Sammy Girl. They ain't gettin neither," Bobby said heatedly, pushing past Mom. "I'm killing the bastards who have Jack. Then I'm going after whoever wants Sam. After today, no one will mess with the Mercers again."**

"**Jeremiah, Angel, get down here!" Mom yelled, needing some help to stop Bobby before he did something stupid.**

**Jerry and Angel immediately ran downstairs, frowning when they saw Mom fighting to keep Bobby in the house.**

"**What's going on?" Angel asked as Jerry pulled me into a hug, seeing how scared I was.**

"**They want to take Sam from us now," Bobby growled and Mom stuck herself to the front door when she couldn't hold him back.**

"**Who?" Angel sounded scared as he looked down at me.**

"**I don't know. But I'm sure as hell gonna find out," Bobby was trying to pry Mom from the door.**

"**Angel, help me," Mom grunted, still fighting with Bobby.**

**Angel shook his head. "I'm with Bobby on this one."**

**Mom looked very angry as Bobby, with Angel's help, finally got her off the door.**

"**Bobby, Angel, you don't have to do this! We'll find another way!" Mom yelled as she ran out of the house after my brothers.**

**Jerry and I moved over to the door, just in time to see Bobby's car speed down the street, Mom yelling for Bobby to stop. Mom looked so heartbroken and defeated as she slowly walked back towards the house, running her hands through her curls of hair as her eyes filled with water.**

"**I don't want to go," I started to cry, tears running down my face.**

"**It's gonna be okay, Sam," Jerry said, kneeling down and pulling me into a hug. "They're not taking you anywhere. And we're getting Jack back."**

**Even though I wanted so badly to believe him, I knew Jerry was wrong. Everything was not going to be alright. Everything was getting worse. Our family was being split up and there was nothing we Mercers could do about it.**


	4. Brotherly Love

Now I never got the whole story about what happened to Jack while he was living with his dad and brother. But here's what I was told and what I snooped and found out.

**(Seven Years Ago)**

**Jack sat on his bed, picking at his jeans in frustration. His brother had locked him in there a few hours ago. Jack had tried running away for the fourth time that week and his brother, who had always had much less patience then his father, had imprisoned Jack in his room for it. Jack wasn't as frightened and jumpy as he had been when he first came back. But, that didn't mean he had let his guard down. He kept his eyes and ears open at all times. His first night in the house, he had snuck downstairs and stolen a few knives, hiding them in his room.**

**Dan, Jack's father, was a totally different person than Jack remembered. The man, who use to count briefs and a tank top as everyday clothing, now wore expensive looking clothes, tie included. He was pleasant all the time, asking Jack if he needed something or if he wanted to go somewhere. He had even bought Jack a new guitar when he found out the boy played. Jack glanced at the brand new shiny black guitar that still was propped up against the wall by the door, where his father had left it. Jack refused to touch it. If he played it, then that meant he was giving in. Still, Jack had to admit the guitar was pretty cool.**

**Then there was Conner. Conner wasn't as nice as his dad. Still he wasn't as bad as he use to be. Conner was seven years older than Jack and could kick his brother's ass without much effort. So far, Conner hadn't laid a finger on Jack, except to drag Jack back to the house when he ran away. It kind off freaked Jack out the way Conner was so kind now. Before he got booted into prison, Conner had had a wicked temper and would beat the crap out of you for just looking at him the wrong way. Jack would much rather take Bobby's teasing to Conner's politeness right about now.**

"**Jack."**

**Conner. Jack jumped at the sudden knock on the door, lowering his feet onto the floor just in case his brother burst in and he had to make a run for it.**

"**I'm about to have lunch. Want some?" Conner asked.**

"**No," Jack answered softly.**

**He heard Conner sigh. Was he getting mad?**

"**You can't starve yourself. You're too skinny as it is," Conner laughed, having always teased Jack for being skinny when it was his fault in the first place.**

**Jack continued to stay silent, staring at the door handle. He didn't expect it to turn. So far, every time he wanted to be alone his father and brother didn't bother him. But, the handle turned this time and Conner opened the door. Jack flinched, sliding towards his headboard since it was the end of the bed furthest from Conner. Conner caught this action and actually looked sad about it.**

"**You want me to bring something up for you. You don't have to come out of the room," Conner offered.**

**Jack shook his head, not able to find his voice while his bother was in the room.**

**Conner shrugged lightly. "Fair enough."**

**Jack just wished Conner would leave. Jack was fourteen years old, but felt much younger and vulnerable around Conner. It didn't make Jack feel better when Conner pulled the desk chair out and took a seat on it. Jack moved even closer to his headboard till his back touched it and his hand rested on his pillow, a knife tucked underneath it. Conner saw that Jack had tensed tremendously the moment he had entered the room and felt bad for it.**

"**You don't have to be afraid of me," Conner said and Jack's eyes went small.**

"**I'm not supposed to be afraid after what I went through because of you?" Jack asked, bringing his legs up onto the bed again.**

"**For the millionth time, I'm sorry. But, that was over eleven years ago."**

"**For you it was over eleven years ago," Jack whispered, shaking as he remembered the way his brother tortured him and violated his body.**

**Conner stared at his brother. Not only was Conner different to Jack, but Jack had changed a lot to Conner. Jack had grown a lot over the years. He was tall for his age, almost as tall as Conner, who use to tower over Jack easily when they were younger. His once short hair had grown a great deal, now hanging over his eyes to hide his face. It had lightened to. Everyone in their family had black hair, except for Jack, who had gotten his hair from his mother.**

**Even though he knew it was wrong after past issues, Conner's eyes went over Jack's body. He had grown indeed. He didn't have a child's body anymore. Conner was thankful to see Jack still had his soft skin, but had gained a few muscles from rough housing with his brothers. He had those wonderful hands, the hands of a musician, now to.**

**Conner inhaled deeply, forcing his mind away from Jack's body before he did something he would regret. He turned his eyes up to Jack's, but that didn't help. Jack's eyes were gorgeous. They always had been. They were unique, a color between blue, green, and a hint of gray.**

**Conner had almost forgotten how beautiful Jack was after all those years he had been in jail. Before he couldn't remember why he had done the things he did to his brother. But, it was all coming back as he stared at his stunning little brother.**

**Jack become aware of the way Conner kept staring at him, his eyes soaking in every inch of Jack's body. Jack began to tremble, a hand creeping under his pillow and closing tightly around the handle of the knife there.**

"**I'm tired. I think I'm going to take a nap." Jack was barely able to say that, his voice shaking so much. He just needed to get Conner out.**

**Conner took a deep breath to regain himself and nodded. "Sure, little bro. I'll check up on you later."**

**Conner stood and crossed over to the door. He gave Jack one more once over before closing the door. Once Conner was gone, Jack stood from his bed and walked over to his desk. With all his strength, Jack pushed the heavy desk in front of the door. Jack believed that he was put in this room on purpose. It was the only without a lock on the inside and it had no windows to climb out of to make a quick escape. He was trapped.**

That was all me and Mom ever got out of Jack about what had happened to him. He told Mom a few more things that she never let me know because she didn't think I was old enough to know. But, I basically figured the rest out after some poking around at the police station and some of the neighbors of Jack's father. Sometimes I wish I knew less than what I did.


	5. Sam's Parents

I remembered my stay with my birth parents very clearly. I had been so shocked back then that they were back together, let alone actually wanted me to be part of their little family.

**(Seven Years Ago)**

"**I don't want to stay with you!" I screamed for the millionth time as my father dragged me into his house.**

"**Samantha, calm down," Jared (I refused to call him Dad) said, struggling to hold onto me until he could close the front door.**

**Once the door was shut, he released me. I turned around and tried to push him out of the way of the door. He wouldn't budge, just waiting calmly for me to cool down a bit. But I was pissed. He had taken me away from the only people who had ever truly loved me. He didn't care about me. He was just trying to hurt me by doing this.**

"**Move," I growled angrily, now hitting him to get to move.**

"**Sam?"**

**I spun around, hearing someone call my name. My birth mother, Denise, came down the long staircase. She was as beautiful as I remembered. I had forgotten that I looked so much like her. It made me freeze seeing her again.**

"**Oh, my god," Mom, no Denise, gasped as she walked up to me. "Look at how big you've gotten."**

**Tears filled her eyes as she put a hand to her mouth, telling me she was about to start crying. I didn't understand it. She had given me up. She hadn't even bother to call or write a letter to me in the last six years.**

**Denise reached down to embrace me, but I backed up, only to run into Jared again. I jumped, feeling like trapped rat in some kind of experiment. I wanted my brothers. Now, more than ever, I wanted to be protected. Denise looked hurt that I had moved away from her hug. Good. She should feel bad after what she did.**

"**I want to go home," I told her, feeling tears coming to my own eyes.**

**Denise looked at Jared, who seemed to have some hint of remorse in his eyes.**

"**Baby, you know we didn't mean to hurt you by taking you away from that woman," said Denise, kneeling down so that she was at my eye level.**

"**She's my mom. Not you," I said through sniffles.**

**Denise's eyes saddened again, the words hitting her hard. "I want to try and be your mom again, honey."**

**She reached out again, but just brushed my hair out of my face.**

"**Just hear me out, okay?" Denise asked, holding out her hand for me to take.**

**I suspiciously stared at her with narrow eyes before warily taking her hand. She was up to something. I could tell. She wasn't going to trick me. I wouldn't let her. I didn't care what she said about wanting to be my mom now. She screwed up years ago and I wasn't going to forgive her.**


	6. Nothing Has Changed

Alright, this isn't something I like to think about. But, to understand me and my brothers, you have to know the whole story, even the parts I would love to keep under wraps for the rest of my life.

**(Seven Years Ago)**

**Jack slowly opened his door, making sure he made no sound. He had been in his room for days now without food or water and it was starting to take a toll on his body. He had to get something in his stomach so he could keep his energy up just in case his father or brother tried anything.**

**Quietly slipping out of his room, Jack headed towards the kitchen. He was well aware that he had to pass both his father's and brother's rooms to get to the kitchen. The first door that he came to was closed, which Jack was thankful for. He could hear muffled snoring from the room, telling him that his father was knocked out and wouldn't wake up anytime soon. Jack had never been so happy that his father slept heavily. At one time, Jack hated that trait. When he was younger, after his father would have his fun with Jack in bed then he would fall asleep right on top of Jack, making it impossible for the small boy to escape. Jack shivered at the memory as he stared at his father's bedroom door.**

**Shaking his fear off, Jack continued to move down the hall, now at Connor's room. Jack cursed silently when he found Connor's door wide open. He had a feeling Connor left his door open on purpose. Jack wasn't stupid. He had seen the way his brother looked at him. Connor hadn't changed as much as he pretended.**

**Jack lightly tiptoed past Connor's room, making sure to glance inside and check if Connor was really asleep. Jack calmed when he saw Connor was in fact just as out of it as his father. Now that he had gotten past his father and brother, Jack hurried to the kitchen and flicked on the light. He immediately grabbed whatever food he saw, knowing he would be cooped up in his room for a few more days. Jack dropped everything though when he saw the phone in the living room on the other side of the kitchen. He picked up the phone as he sat down on the couch. He quickly dialed the number he had come to known as his own, impatiently tapping his foot as he waited for someone to pick up.**

"**Hello?" came a gruff voice, having just been woken up.**

"**Angel?" Jack sighed, never happier in his life to hear his brother's voice.**

"**Jackie, is that you?" Angel asked, sounding shocked that Jack had called.**

"**Yeah, it's me," Jack said, glancing down the hall to make sure no one was coming.**

"**Man, we've been worried about you because we hadn't heard from you. Mom's been going crazy, pacing by the phone all day," Angel informed him.**

"**How's everyone else?"**

**Angel was silent for a moment and Jack knew something had happened while he was gone.**

"**What's wrong?" Jack asked, gripping the phone tightly.**

**Angel sighed heavily. "Sam's gone, Jack."**

"**What?" Jack gasped, almost forgetting to keep his voice down. "What the hell are you talking about?"**

"**Her parents came and took her. Mom couldn't do anything. Bobby and I got arrested for trying to pummel Sam's dad."**

"**You're kidding," Jack said, not wanting to believe it.**

"**Mom's just a wreck. With both you and Sam gone, she's almost lost hope of getting you guys back," Angel said, taking a moment to look at Evelyn, who was asleep on the couch.**

"**I miss her," Jack said sadly.**

"**Don't worry, Cracker Jack. You'll be back in no time. You and Sammy."**

"**I'm trying hard to believe that," Jack sighed, closing his eyes and running a hand over his face.**

"**Jack?"**

**Jack spun around when he suddenly heard Conner's voice. Conner walked into the living room, rubbing his tired eyes as he stared at his startled brother.**

"**Sorry. Did I scare you?" Conner asked Jack.**

"**Jack, who's that?" Angel asked, having heard another voice.**

"**What are you doing up?" Jack stuttered, getting to his feet and backing away from Conner.**

**Conner shrugged lightly. "I thought I heard you and came to see if something was wrong."**

"**I'm fine," Jack said, trembling as Conner walked over to him.**

"**Who you talking to? It's almost two o'clock in the morning."**

"**Jack, talk to me," Angel said, getting worried. He could hear the fear in Jack's voice as he spoke and knew his little brother was in trouble.**

"**You should be in bed. Whoever you're talking to, you can call them back tomorrow," Conner said, motioning for Jack to hang up.**

"**I'll only be on the phone for a couple of more minutes," Jack told him, at the same time listening to Angel.**

"**Is that that bitch who calls himself your brother?" Angel growled, now understanding why Jack was so frightened.**

"**Say goodbye to whoever you're talking to, Jack," Conner ordered, moving to take the phone from Jack.**

"**Angel," Jack said into the phone, feeling as if Angel was the only hope he had left right now.**

"**I'm here, Jack. What's going on?" Angel said and looked at the front door as Bobby walked into the house.**

"**Angel, what's up?" he asked, noticing the look on Angel's face.**

"**It's Jackie," he told him and Bobby stole the phone from him just as Conner pried the phone out of Jack's hands.**

"**Conner, give me back the phone." Jack reached to retrieve to, but Conner held it out of his reach before hanging up.**

"**I told you that it's too late to be talking on the phone. You can call back tomorrow, alright?" Conner said and Jack watched as his brother unplugged the phone just in case Angel might decide to call again that night.**

**Jack wanted to argue against Conner telling him what to do, but decided it wasn't a smart idea. Conner wouldn't listen to him anyway.**

"**I'm going back to bed," Jack said and hurried back towards his bedroom.**

**Jack heard footsteps following him and turned around at see Conner.**

"**What do you want?" Jack asked, leaning on the doorframe.**

"**I saw the food on the kitchen table, Jack. If you were hungry, why did you turn down all those times I offered to get you food?" Conner sounded genuinely concerned.**

**But, Jack didn't fall for it. He couldn't just let go of all the things Conner had done and act as if nothing happened. Conner didn't realize that Jack hated him and wasn't going to forgive him no matter how much he apologized.**

"**Just leave me alone, Conner," Jack sighed, moving to close the door.**

**He jumped when Conner slammed a hand on the door to keep it open. Conner frowned, showing his angry as he advanced on Jack.**

"**Leave you alone? All I've done is leave you alone. But, that's not good enough for you is it? You still have to act like a little asshole," Connor spat, finally loosing his temper that he had done such a good job of concealing over the last few days.**

"**How am I supposed to act?" Jack yelled. "I don't want to have anything to do with you!"**

"**Are you still whining about what happened before I was put in the prison? Get over it already," Conner huffed, balling his fists to compose himself before he hurt his little brother.**

"**I can't get over it! Do you even remember how old I was when you first hurt me? I was three years old! Three!" Jack shouted, years of agony pouring out in ever word.**

"**I said I was sorry!"**

"**I don't care! Get the hell out of here!" Jack shoved Conner, trying to get him out of the room.**

**Conner seemed to snap, seizing Jack and slamming him against a wall. Fear paralyzed Jack for a split second before he struggled to get Conner away from him. But, Conner held tight, digging his fingers into Jack arms.**

"**Get off of me!" Jack yelled, fighting hard against his brother.**

"**Shut up!" Connor shouted and punched Jack on the face.**

**The blow knocked Jack to the floor and he held his face as his brother moved over to him. Jack flinched as Connor knelt beside him and grabbed him again. Jack punched and kicked at Connor, anything to get him away. All the noise the boys were making as they fought each other must have woken their father, because Jack noticed when the hallway light was flicked on. Dan was the last person in the world Jack wanted to call for help. But, Connor was to strong for him and Connor may not have changed, but Dan had. Jack had no choice.**

"**Dan!" Jack shouted and Connor's eyes widened when he realized what Jack was doing.**

"**Shut up!" Connor roared, wrapping his hands around Jack's neck and squeezing as hard as he could.**

**Jack squirmed wildly, pulling at Connor's hands to get them off so he could breathe. Jack's mouth opened and closed repeatedly as he struggled to fill his lungs with oxygen. Panicking, Jack swung madly with his fists and somehow connected with Connors face. Connor groaned and released Jack, holding his bleeding mouth. Jack coughed, heaving in air as he stumbled to his feet.**

"**Dan!" Jack screamed and he heard footsteps coming.**

"**Get back here!" Conner growled, catching Jack by the back of his shirt and dragging him back into the room.**

**Connor threw Jack into dresser and Jack almost blacked out when his head hit the edge of the hard wood. Jack fell to the floor, blinking as he tried to see straight and get up. Connor spit out the blood in his mouth before jumping on top of Jack again.**

"**Jack! Connor!" Dan yelled, running into the room.**

**Dan froze when he saw his older son, with a bloody mouth, pinning his younger son, with blood running from a cut on his forehead, to the floor. The scene really stunned him for a moment before parenting kicked in.**

"**Connor, what the hell is going on?" Dan asked, grabbing Connor's arm and attempting to pull the older boy off of Jack.**

**Connor snatched his arm away and said, "He just won't give it a rest. He's still whining about what we did."**

"**He has all the right to. Now, get off of him." Dan seized his son again and began pulling his to his feet.**

**Connor pushed his father away and gave an evil sounding chuckle.**

"**Stop with the nice act already, Pops. You said it yourself. You still think of Jack as your little sex toy," Connor said through gritted teeth, sick of his father trying to put all of the bad stuff on him.**

"**What!" Jack exclaimed from his spot on the floor as he sat up.**

"**Jack," Dan said softly, moving closer to the boy.**

**Jack backed away, trembling as he stared at Dan with wide eyes. He couldn't believe it. Dan hadn't changed any more that Connor. Dan didn't want him back. All he wanted was his body.**

"**Jack, don't listen to Connor. I would never…"**

"**Get away from me!" Jack shouted when Dan went to touch him.**

"**See what I mean," Connor said, pointing a finger at Jack.**

"**Shut up, Connor," Dan said, glaring at Connor over his shoulder.**

**As the father and son bickered, Jack saw his only opportunity to get out. As fast as lightning, Jack jumping over his bed and darted for the door. Dan and Connor stopped their fighting immediately and ran after Jack. Jack shot down the hallway, through the kitchen, and through the living room, practically throwing himself at the front door. He fumbled with the two locks on the door, his hands shaking uncontrollably. He got the first lock unlocked when he heard Connor coming up right behind him. Jack flipped the second lock and threw open the door, running outside. Jack didn't make it far before Dan reached him and grabbed him.**

"**Let go!" Jack screamed as Dan wrapped his arms around Jack's body, pinning his arms to his sides.**

"**Get him inside!" Connor hissed, making sure no one was watching.**

**Dan picked Jack up and carried him back inside as Connor shut the front door and locked it again. Jack continued screaming, hoping if he couldn't get away that someone would at least come find out what was going on or call the police.**

**Dan dropped Jack onto the floor before climbing on top of him to hold him there. Jack punched Dan's chest and face with his fists, screaming for someone to help him. Dan finally got a hold of Jacks hands and pinned them to the floor, over Jack's head. He covered Jack's mouth with his other hand, muffling the boy's screams.**

"**Jack, calm down," Dan ordered, his own frustration getting the better of him.**

**Jack just kicked and bucked, trying to get his father's weight off of him. But, Dan was too heavy and Jack had to slow his breathing since Dan was cutting off half his air supply.**

"**What are we going to do now?" Conner asked, kneeling down beside his dad and brother.**

**Dan tightened his grip on Jack's wrists when he tried to pull them away. "Conner, go in the kitchen and get the duct tape."**

**Jack squirmed frantically after hearing that. He wouldn't go back to that kind of life. He couldn't survive Connor and his father doing those things to him again. He still had nightmares about everything and didn't know how many times he woke up thinking it was real again. And now it was real.**

**Jack flinched when Conner came back and he heard the duct tape being ripped from the roll. He knew this was only the start of things and it was just going to get worse.**


	7. Sam and Jayla

Alright, I know it seemed like my parents had their shit together when I came back. But, far from it. It turns out my father was having an affair with his secretary and my mother was knocking boots with the repairman. And my parents were both threatening to file for divorce, in the mean time fighting over who was going to get custody of me and, get this, my baby sister. Turns out Denise got knocked up in hopes that it would get Jared back. And it did get him back. Only, now she wanted to get rid of him. And on the side, Denise was turning into a freaking junkie. I caught her with some heroin more than once. I tell ya, can I dig up dirt in a snowstorm or what? Man, I'm good. Anyway, back to the past.

**(Seven Years Ago)**

**I sat in my closet, working hard to concentrate on my homework. Jared and Denise were fighting again. Before, they only fought on the weekends, when Jared was home more. Now, it was like they fought over everything, all the time. When I came home from school, there was yelling. When I came out of my room, there was yelling. When I woke up in the morning, there was yelling. Lately, all I heard was yelling and more yelling. I even started yelling when I got caught in the middle of one of their fights somehow. I had never wanted to be home with Mom and my brothers more in my life.**

**I froze when I heard my bedroom door creak open. Oh, who was it now? I couldn't get one moment alone in this dang house.**

"**Sam," a soft, nervous little voice said my name.**

**I recognized the voice to be Jayla's. Pushing open my closet door, I saw my five year old sister standing in the doorway of my room. She jumped at the sudden sound of the closet opening and gripped the teddy bear in her arms tightly.**

"**Its okay, Jayla. It's just me," I said, poking my head out of the closet so she could see me.**

**Jayla's cute face brightened up when her eyes fell on me. Ever since I'd gotten to the house, I'd been Jayla's safeguard. Every time our parents fought, she'd run to me. It was weird at first. I'd always been the youngest as a Mercer. Now, I had to be a big sister and it wasn't so bad. I felt wanted and needed. Jayla's what made this stay at my parents' house not so bad.**

"**Sam," Jayla said, staring at her feet. "Can I stay in here with you?"**

"**Did they wake you up again?" I said and Jayla didn't have to guess who 'they' were.**

**Jayla nodded, hugging her bear closer.**

"**Come on then," I said, putting my homework aside.**

**Jayla smiled as she ran over to the closet and got in with me. I closed the door again, leaving a small crack since Jayla was afraid of the dark.**

"**You can stay as long as you want," I said and Jayla snuggled up against me.**

**I hummed as Jayla listened to my heartbeat, drowning out the sound of our parents yelling. I wanted to go back home so bad. But, then I thought about Jayla. What if I left? What would happen to her? I just didn't think I could leave her. She was too much like me when I was her age and I remember how I felt. I'd felt abandoned, like no one wanted or loved me. I didn't want that for Jayla. So, what was I going to do?**


	8. Capture Beauty

I sat on my bed that night, drawing a simple sketch of an outfit I had in mind. I groaned as my pencil snapped. Tossing it aside, I reached for another pencil out of my book bag. I wish I could get the good stuff, like all the professionals had. But, I wasn't even a real artist I guess. I mean, I loved drawing and could go through days on the same picture until I got it just right. But, my work wasn't anything to brag about. It was all garbage that a teenager did in her spare time when she had nothing better to do.

"That's nice," Jack said, watching me add trimming to the dress.

"It sucks," I mumbled past the color pencil in my mouth.

"You say that about everything you draw. But, if that were true, why did Mom keep every drawing you did in her scrapbook?"

"Because, that's the kind of foolish stuff moms do to make their kids feel good," I snorted, shaking my head as I erased the straps. Straps or no straps on the dress? I couldn't decide.

"No straps," Jack said when he saw me drawing then erasing the straps over and over again.

"Why bother?" I huffed, tossing my sketchbook on the floor and spitting out the color pencil.

"Because you're good," Jack said, scooping up the book and my pencils.

"You're just saying that because you're my brother," I said, taking the stuff from him and flipping through the sketchbook.

"Fine, if you suck at drawing, then I'm a bad guitar player."

I laughed, causing Jack to smile. He just couldn't ever let me win this argument. We did it all the time. I'd say what a horrible artist I was and he'd say he couldn't play the guitar to save his life. But, we were both being stupid. It was just one of those unexplainable things between us that Bobby, Jerry, and Angel never got.

"Fine, I'm an okay artist," I gave in, picking up my pencil again.

"I remember this one," Jack said, pointing to a picture I had made last year.

I stared at the picture, knowing it only too well. It was one of Mom. Somehow, I had gotten her busy butt to sit down and let me draw her.

"This one is a lot better than the one I drew of her when I was five," I laughed, remembering the crayon drawing Mom had hanging beside her bed.

"You always did like drawing Mom," Jack said and I knew he was right.

I did love doing pictures of Mom. She was perfect; so stunning that you just had to capture that beauty. Sometimes I wish I could draw that beauty one more time. But, I couldn't anymore and I'd never be able to again.

Oh, here I go again. I'm such a baby. I'm supposed to be telling you guys about the past, not the present. Alright, let's get back to the story before I start crying.

(Sorry that these chapters were kind of short. But, I wanted to have a small break between the first couple of intense chapters with Jack and Sam and the ones that are coming up. I thought I'd put in a nice little moment between Jack and Sam in the middle. But, I guarantee you that the next chapters will be nice and long. And Jack and Sam just might come back home. But, you'll have to wait for that. Just be patient with me. Thank you for listening.)


	9. Gifts And A Phone Call

"Sammy!"

I narrowed my eyes at the nickname Bobby had given me years ago when I was still a tubby little girl. I was seventeen now. Well, eighteen by midnight. I'd wish he'd stop calling me that.

"It's not Sammy! The name is Sam!" I yelled back.

"Would you rather I called you Samantha?" Bobby said from downstairs.

I winced at my full name. That was worse than Sammy. Sammy was my baby name and Samantha was the name people used when I was in trouble, an adult was trying to be superior to me, or they knew I hated being called Samantha. Thank god Bobby didn't know my entire name. Well, I don't even believe he could say my entire name. Thanks to my Puerto Rican mother, I had an embarrassingly long name, complete with many middle names and two last names; three if you count Mercer.

"No, thank you, Robert," I answered, tuning my guitar.

"Sam, come on down here. We want to talk to you," Jerry said. When did he get here?

"I'll be down in a minute."

I finished tuning my guitar and played a little snippet of a song to make sure it sounded right before putting the old guitar on its stand. After letting my hair, which was scarily as long as my arms now, down, I headed out of my and Jack's room and downstairs. Okay, have you ever experienced something on the line of feeling like a cute and fluffy baby bunny in a den full of starving wolves? Well, as I entered the living room, that's the vibe I was getting. My four brothers were parked on the couch and in the chairs, staring at me with devilish grins on their faces. Either I was particularly cute today or were going to make me the target of some kind of pick-on-little-sister prank.

"What's up, guys?" I asked as I hesitantly took a seat on the armrest of the chair Jerry sat in.

"We were just talking about your birthday tomorrow. And we needed to know what flavor cake you wanted," Angel said, his grin growing.

"Chocolate with fudge frosting, of course," I said, my eyes going small in suspicion. Angel knew I loved chocolate and that I'd had chocolate cakes for my birthday since I'd had my first birthday in the house.

I wondered where this was really going. My brothers were starting to creep me out, the way they kept staring at me as if I were suddenly the most important person in the world. I was just about ready to ask where the hidden cameras were, because it felt like I was on a reality show.

"Okay, Bobby, what's going on? I can't take it anymore," I sighed at my oldest brother.

"Why would you think something is up, Sammy?" he asked casually, folding his hands behind his head and leaning back into the cushions of the couch.

"One, you all are grinning your asses off. Two, I swear one of ya'll is going to shoot me any second the way you keep staring at me. Three, Jack is fidgeting with the chain on his jeans like he does when he's trying not to tell me something. And four, you're calling me Sammy way too much. So, what the hell is up?"

"Alright, chill before you have an asthma attack," Bobby said and I growled at him for bringing up my long gone asthma.

"Check out the dining room," Jack said, pointing me in the direction.

I slowly moved into the dining room, expecting a trap to go off. You just never know with my brothers. But, as I neared the dining room table, all I thought was I have the best brothers. Next thing I know, I have a grin on my face identical to the ones that I'd seen on my brothers' faces.

"Damn boys," I cursed at my brothers, out of affection and delight.

"We'll take that as a thank you," Angel laughed, coming to my side.

I stare at the presents on the table and feel like a little kid again. Usually, I'd wait until my brothers went to bed and hunted down my presents wherever the guys hid them. Not one year were my brothers able to surprise me because when I wanted something, I found it. But, it seemed Bobby, Jerry, Angel, and Jack were a step ahead of me this year.

"It's not even my birthday yet, but who cares," I said, picking up a box wrapped in silver paper and shaking it to see if I heard anything.

"Technically, it is your birthday. It's 12:02." I smirked, seeing Jack was right as I looked up at the clock.

"So, does this mean that I don't get a surprise party?" I whined, my bottom lip out in a pout.

"Shut up. If we told you, it wouldn't be a surprise," Bobby snorted.

"It never is a surprise. Sam is always onto us before we can even think about a party," Jerry said, clearly remembering last year when I had walked in on them trying to hide my birthday cake.

"Well, open your presents," Jack said, taking a seat at the table and pulling me down into the chair beside him.

"But, I don't want to spoil my birthday," I said, not sounding too convincing, considering my eyes were hungrily taking in the four gifts on the table.

"You know you're getting presents tomorrow from Camille, La Vida Loca, and everybody else at your party," Bobby said and smiled at Angel's expression at the name Bobby referred Sofie as. "Now, less complaining, more ripping."

Shoot, he didn't have to tell me twice. I was like a kid on Christmas. I seized the silver box again and read the card quickly. It was from Angel. Tossing off the box's top, I looked inside. I just about fell off my chair as I pulled out a ticket.

"Thank you, Angel," I said, jumping out of my seat and squeezing him in a tight hug.

"What he get you?" Bobby asked.

"It's a ticket to that My Chemical Romance concert I've been wanting to go to," I told him, showing him the ticket. "Angel, how did you get it? They said that they were all out when I tried to get one."

"I have my ways," Angel said with 'the look'.

"I'm not even going to ask," I mumbled, knowing he had to have done something illegal to get my present. But, I didn't care, because I loved it.

"Open mine," Jerry said, handing me a big blue bag.

I read his card before pulling out the tissue paper. Jerry knew I loved his gift as well when I started grinning like a fool. I dumped all the stuff in the bag out on the table and looked over it. Jerry had gotten me all the best art stuff: Sketchbooks, pencils, color pencils, markers, paint, brushes, posters, stickers, stencils, and an easel to put together.

"Jerry, how much did this stuff cost you?" I asked, knowing the good value stuff had to cost a fortune.

"It doesn't matter. This is your last birthday before you go to college, so I that you could use all these things," Jerry said and I pulled him down for a kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks. But, who says I'm going to college?"

"Oh, you're going to college," Bobby said, as I knew he would. He was determined to get me to college and out of Detroit.

"I was kidding, Bobby," I snorted as I picked up another box; Bobby's present.

I stiffened when the box moved. What the hell had Bobby gotten me? For all I know, it'd be something that scared the crap out of me. That's when I noticed the holes on the side and a few on top. Holding the box still, I took off the top. I gasped as a black cat jumped out and onto my lap.

"You got her a cat?" Angel asked, not believing it anymore than I did.

"But, you hate cats," I said, scratching the cat under her chin as she curled up in my arms.

"You don't have to tell me that. I nearly shot the fur ball a few times. But, I know you always wanted a cat," Bobby said, glaring at the animal I was holding.

"Thanks a lot, Bobby." I hugged him, making sure to keep the cat at a good distance.

"Jack, what did you get her?" Angel wondered, messing with the long box on the table.

"Let her open, man," Jack said as I swatted Angel away from my present.

Putting my cat down, I pulled the box closer and flipped the top off. Seeing the case inside, I already knew what my present was. I fervently fumbled with the zipper and opened the case. Once it was open, I stared breathlessly down at the guitar lying in front of me.

"Thank you, Jack," I squealed, so like a girl, as I threw my arms around him.

"Don't you have a guitar already?" Bobby asked, picking up my new one.

"Yeah," I answered, stealing my guitar away from him.

"Bobby, I bought that guitar for her years ago. It's time she got a new one," Jerry said.

"Besides, this one is electric," Jack pointed out. "The one Jerry bought her is acoustic."

"Like I know the difference. You two are the music freaks," Bobby said, pointing to Jack and me.

I ran a hand over my new sleek plum purple electric guitar. I love my acoustic guitar, but I've always wanted an electric. Now I didn't have to steal Jack's anymore. Jack had already tuned the guitar, so I played around with it a little, enjoying the feeling of the new guitar in my hands.

"Don't you dare plug that thing in. We don't need you and Jackie keeping us up all night," Bobby said, taking the cord to the guitar and putting it away, so I wouldn't even have the chance to plug my guitar into an amp.

"We wouldn't keep you up all night. Just until five in the morning," I giggled, playing some power chords.

"We'll play tomorrow," Jack promised.

Jerry glanced at his watch. "Oh, man. I better get home before Camille starts to worry."

"Thanks again, Jerry," I said and hugged him goodbye as he grabbed his coat.

"See ya tomorrow, Jerry," Angel said, looking at my cat, who was currently weaving through his legs.

"Bye, ya'll," Jerry said on his way out.

"Alright, shrimp, time for bed," Bobby said, taking my guitar from me and putting it in its case.

"Who are you calling shrimp? I'm almost as tall as you. Besides, when have you ever known me to go to sleep when I'm told to?"

"Come on, Sam. We're all heading up," Angel yawned as he stood.

"Get away from me!" Bobby hissed at my cat, who I officially named Evelyn, as she followed him around.

"Chill out, Bobby. It's just a cat," Jack said and picked up Evelyn before Bobby could kick her.

"You've gone from gay to having a thing for cats, huh, Cracker Jack?" Bobby snickered.

"Shut up, Bobby or I'll sic my cat on you," I threatened, holding Evelyn out towards him, causing him to back up.

"Keep that thing away from me or it'll just go missing like that cat you brought home a few years back."

"I knew you did something to Tiger," I gasped, remembering the day that stray cat disappeared.

"That cat was the only thing that was crazier than Bobby," Jack chuckled, earning a smack over the head from Bobby.

"Tiger just had issues, like the rest of us," I said, stroking Evelyn's fur.

"I don't recall any of us ever pissing all over the furniture to mark our territory," Bobby said.

"I'm not so sure about that," I mumbled, giving him a cheeky smirk.

Evelyn jumped and hissed in my arms as the phone rang.

"Hello?" Angel answered the phone.

He frowned at whatever the person on the other line was saying.

"Who is this?" Angel demanded.

"Give me the phone, Angel." Bobby held out his hand for the phone.

"It's for Sam," Angel told him, handing the phone over to me.

I gave Evelyn back to Jack as I put the phone to my ear.

"This is Sam. May I ask who's calling?" I said politely into the phone.

"Sam, honey, this is Denise."

I froze at the sound of my biological mother's voice. My parents never called unless they were still trying to get me to forgive them or Jayla was in trouble.

"What did Jayla do now?" I sighed, knowing this was going to be one long conversation.


	10. Sam's Return And Jack's Trouble

**(Seven Years Ago)**

**A scream sent Bobby flying out of bed and down the stairs. He recognized the scream to be his mother's and was alert immediately.**

"**Ma, what is it?" Bobby asked, running into the living room, gun aimed.**

"**Bobby, you scared me," Evelyn gasped, placing a hand to her chest. "Put that gun away before it goes off."**

**Bobby surveyed the room, looking for anything that might have frightened his mother, but saw nothing. Seeing as there was no danger, Bobby tucked his gun back in his pants.**

"**Why were you screaming?" Bobby demanded, his heartbeat slowing down from its fast pace.**

"**I'm sorry if I woke you. But, I'm just so happy," Evelyn said, grinning from ear to ear.**

"**Happy about what?" Bobby asked.**

"**Well, that was Ted on the phone. You remember him, right?"**

"**Of course. He's Sam's social worker," Bobby said, motioning for her to get to the point.**

"**Anyway, I just got off the phone with him and he told me that Sam and, apparently, her little sister were taken from their parents' custody last week," Evelyn told him.**

"**Why? Did something happen?" Bobby growled, prepared to kill Sam's parents if they had done anything to her.**

"**No. Sam is okay. But, it turns out that Jeremiah has been asking Ted to look up information on the Robinsons and Ted did find some things. Sam's mother is a drug addict and has been for some time. And, Sam's father bought off a judge to get off for killing a man."**

"**So, what does all this mean? What's going to happen to Sammy Girl?" Bobby asked, fearing that they'd move Sam around through foster homes like before.**

"**That's what I'm so happy about, Bobby. Sam's coming home," Evelyn giggled, grinning at her son.**

**Bobby could have done a flip in the air as relieved as he was. Sam, after five months of being gone, was finally coming back to them. And Bobby was going to make sure that no one took her away again.**

**Evelyn laughed as Bobby swept her off her feet in a hug, both of them happier than they would have been if they had just won the lottery.**

"**They actually granted you custody?" Bobby asked, remembering what a prick Ted could be when it came matters concerning Sam.**

"**Well, Ted said after looking over Sam's past, I seemed like the best to raise her. And Sam refused to go to anyone else," Evelyn said, practically shaking with joy.**

"**When's Sam coming back home?" Hell, Bobby was prepared to go and haul his sister out of any place they had her at if it meant her being with them again.**

"**In two days. By the way, she's bringing company," Evelyn informed Bobby.**

"**Another kid, Ma?" Bobby sighed, wondering how his mother did it.**

"**Well, Sam's sister didn't have anywhere to go and I wasn't just going to let them put her in a foster home. You know better than anyone what kind of homes these kids get sent to."**

"**Sometimes you have too big a heart, Ma."**

"**It's why you're here," Evelyn laughed, kissing Bobby's cheek. "You weren't exactly a little saint when you first walked through that door. And, I'm still working on you."**

"**I'm not that bad," Bobby snorted as though he didn't have a gun tucked in his pants.**

"**You've grown a lot since then, Bobby. If I could just get you to control that temper of yours," Evelyn said as she walked into the kitchen to start breakfast.**

**Bobby followed her, mumbling, "I can control my temper. I just choose not to."**

**Evelyn laughed at his words, knowing she never be able to stop Bobby from being a hothead. That's who he was and always would be.**

"**Bobby, can you get that?" Evelyn asked when the phone rang.**

**Bobby snatched up the phone and put it to his ear as he sat down at the kitchen table and propped his feet on the chair across from him.**

"**Hello?" he asked into the phone.**

**Bobby frowned when all he heard was heavy breathing on the other end of the phone.**

"**Hello?" he repeated more irritably.**

"**Bobby, its Jack."**

**Bobby froze, completely shocked when he heard the sound his little brother's voice. They hadn't received a call from Jack in forever and Evelyn had asked police to look into it. But, the cops said they found nothing bad going on at Dan's house. They told Evelyn that maybe Jack was happy with his father and brother and just didn't want to call anymore. Bobby knew that was a bunch of bull.**

"**Damn, Jackie, do you know how long it's been since you last called? Ma's been scared shitless about you. You know better than to go worrying her like…"**

"**Bobby, listen to me," Jack said loudly.**

**Bobby shut up, hearing and sensing the frantic and panicked tone of Jack's voice. He recognized that tone and instantly knew something was wrong.**

"**I don't have a lot of time to explain. But, I need your help, Bobby," Jack said breathlessly, like he was out of breath and having trouble breathing.**

"**Jack, where are you?" Bobby said, already on his feet and grabbing his keys.**

"**Where are you going? Breakfast will be done in a minute," Evelyn said, turning off the flame under the scrambled eggs and sausages.**

"**Ma, Jackie's on the phone," Bobby informed her as he pulled on his jacket.**

**Now aware that her youngest son was on the other line, Evelyn's practically jumped on Bobby, holding out her hand. "Let me talk to him."**

"**Just a sec, Ma," Bobby said.**

"**Bobby," Jack said, his voice cracking with fear.**

"**I'm listening, Jack. Where are you?"**

"**I ran away from Dan's. I'm on a pay phone just around the corner from his house. I was hiding in the alley because he's driving around looking for me. I don't know how much longer I can keep this up before he finds me."**

"**Just hold tight, Jackie. I'll be right there. If you see that bastard driving by again, you hide. Just talk to Ma until I get there," Bobby said, handing the phone to Evelyn.**

**His mother took the phone and pressed it to her ear. "Jackie, its Mom. It'll be alright. Bobby's on his way."**

"**Jerry, Angel, both of ya'll get down here!" Bobby yelled upstairs as he made sure his gun was loaded. He had an extra gun and bullets in his car trunk if needed.**

"**What's up, man?" Jerry asked as he came down the stairs, Angel right behind him.**

"**Jackie's in trouble. We got to go get him," Bobby explained as his brother's put on their coats.**

"**Should I bring my gun?" Angle asked.**

"**You can. But, I'll probably kill whoever's trying to hurt Jack before you get the chance to," Bobby said and cocked his gun before heading out the front door.**


	11. Help!

Okay, I obviously wasn't here for these events, as I was held up in some temporary foster home with Jayla at the time. Ain't that a bitch. But, here's what I think happened based on what my brothers told me went down.

**(Seven Years Ago)**

**Jack sat on the sidewalk, still gripping the pay phone tightly in his hand. He pulled his knees closer to his body. One, it was freezing cold out and he was wearing nothing by jeans and a very thin t-shirt. Two, he wanted to believe that if he got in a small enough ball he could just disappear. Jack wished he had a watch. It felt like it was taking forever for Bobby to come and get him. The longer it took for Bobby to arrive, the more chances Jack had of being seen by Dan. And if Dan saw him, he was dead meat. Jack knew it was a risk alone to run away in the first place. He could only imagine how pissed off Dan was. Jack shook at the thought.**

"**Jackie, are you there?" Evelyn's voice came from the phone.**

"**I'm still here," Jack answered, his teeth chattering.**

"**Do you see Bobby yet?"**

**Jack searched the street for Bobby's car, but the area around him was as good as dead. He saw nothing and he heard nothing. It freaked Jack out.**

"**No, I don't see him."**

"**Don't worry. I'm sure he'll be there any minute. You'll be okay."**

**Jack smiled, feeling safe every time Evelyn told him that he'd be alright. He'd nearly cried upon hearing her voice. He wanted so badly to get home and hug her. He just wanted to see her again.**

"**I've miss you," Jack whispered, closing his eyes and listening to Evelyn's voice.**

"**You have no idea how much I've miss you, Jackie. I want you home."**

**Jack's smile faded as a new sound drowned out Evelyn's voice. Jack opened his eyes and looked around, hearing the sound of an engine. Getting to his feet, Jack checked the street, trying to make out if it was Bobby's car or Dan's truck he saw coming his way. Jack cursed, immediately identifying the vehicle as Dan's truck.**

"**Oh, no. He's coming," Jack whimpered, trembling uncontrollably.**

"**Who? Bobby?" Evelyn asked, but knew the answer from the dread in Jack's voice.**

"**No. It's Dan."**

**Before Jack could hear Evelyn's reply, he dropped the phone and ran in the direction of the alley he'd been hiding down for the last hour. Jack's heart pounded madly in his chest when he heard Dan's truck speed up. Dan had seen him. Jack ran faster, as fast as his feet could go, forgetting hiding in the alley and just running, trying to put as much distance between him and Dan's truck as possible. The tires of Dan's truck squealed as he revved the vehicle, determined to catch the fleeing boy. Jack rounded the corner at the end of the street and searched frantically for somewhere to go. He couldn't keep up this running thing forever, especially against a truck with a tank full of gas. Jack cut down the nearest alley, ending up back where he had started, but without Dan on his tail. Not abusing the opportunity, Jack ran in the opposite direction him and Dan had gone a moment ago, praying that Bobby would somehow get there in the next five seconds and save him.**

**Jack just about shout in disbelief when Bobby's car came around a corner and made its way to him. Jack knew his brothers would come through for him. They always did.**

**Jack whirled around when he heard tires screeching. Dan's truck skidded to a stop right behind him and Connor jumped out. Jack made to run, but Connor was on him in a heartbeat, grabbing him and dragging him to the truck.**

"**Let go! Bobby, help!" Jack screamed, struggling as Connor tried to force him into the truck.**

"**Let him go!" Angel yelled out the window as Bobby pulled out his gun and drove at the same time.**

**Connor was finally able to shove Jack into the truck before getting in himself.**

"**Go, Pops," Connor said before Dan gunned the vehicle.**

"**Bobby!" Jack pounded the back window with his fists, trying to escape.**

"**Don't let them get away, Bobby!" Jerry said and Bobby slammed his foot on the gas, speeding after Dan's truck.**

"**Don't worry, Jerry. They ain't going nowhere with Jackie," Bobby growled, determined to kill both Dan and Conner with his bare hands. He was going to get his little brother back by any means necessary.**

(I know it's kind of short, you guys. But, I've been writing my butt off between my fanfiction stories, the stories I'm trying to publish (9** stories)**, an essay I have to write for the college I want to go to, and schoolwork of course. So, I'm sorry that I haven't been updating as well as I should. But, don't leave me! You guys keep me going and I love writing for ya'll. So, be patient with me. Review and I shall keep writing! Peace out.)


	12. Prayers Answered

(I'm back, guys. I know it was a really long wait. But, I'm back and ready to do some serious typing. I apologize for the wait, but I had a serious writer's block.)

(By the way, in case you haven't noticed, if Sam isn't in a flashback, I write from my point of view and not hers. I just wanted to make sure everybody understands that and we were on the same page. Thank you for listening.)

Once again, here is another situation when I wasn't there for the event. As I said before, I was in a temporary foster home, packing to come back home to Mom. But, as usual, that didn't stop me from figuring out what happened while I was absent. So, here's how it went down.

**(Eight Years Ago)**

**Evelyn fidgeted restlessly as she sat on the living room couch. All she could think about were her boys. I'd been hours since Bobby, Jeremiah, and Angel took off to get Jack and there was still no word from them. And Evelyn only feared what had happened to Jack. The last thing she'd heard coming from his side of the phone conversation was the sound of tires screeching. Jack had said it was Dan. So, what did that mean now? Was Jack alright? Did Bobby and the others find him? So much could be wrong and Evelyn could do nothing but sit at home worried until it made her sick.**

**Clutching one of her cross necklaces, Evelyn prayed. She prayed harder than she ever had before. She just wanted her boys safe. She needed her boys safe. They were her sons, blood or not, and she could think of nothing worse than loosing one of them.**

**When it seemed as if her prayers would never be answered, a knock on the front door brought hope. Evelyn all but ran to the front door and opened it. On the porch stood a very frantic Camille, on the verge of tears as she shifted from foot to foot.**

"**Hello, Ms. Evelyn. May I come in?" Camilla said, looking like she was barely holding herself together.**

"**Of course, honey. Come right on in," Evelyn said, gently taking Camille's hand and leading her into the house. "What's wrong?"**

"**Jerry just called me from the hospital," Camille told her.**

**Evelyn nearly felt her heart stop at the word 'hospital'. That was never a good word when it came to her boys. Either one of them was hurt or one was de… Evelyn didn't even want to finish the thought.**

"**What did he say, Camille?" Evelyn asked as the two woman sat down on the couch.**

**Camille took a deep breath and scrunched the fabric of her coat in her hands to regain some composure. Then she spoke as calmly as she could.**

"**Uh, that's why I'm here. Jerry's okay, thank god. But, it's Jack."**

"**What's wrong with Jack?" Evelyn placed a hand over her heart, already having the worst in mind.**

**Camille closed her eyes and grimaced as she explained. "Well, Jack's dad found him and took off with him. So, Jerry, Bobby, Angel followed them of course. After awhile they lost them and had to hunt them down again. They finally found them hiding out at this broke down old house. I don't know if Jack's dad and brother heard Bobby's car or what, but they got in their truck and made a run for it. So, that turned into a car chase. Jack's dad's truck ended up spinning off the side of the road and they crashed. Jack was hurt pretty bad from the car crash and whatever his father and brother did to him. He's in the hospital now and Jerry's staying with him."**

"**Bobby and Angel?" Evelyn asked though she already knew. Bobby and Angel weren't going to let Dan or Conner get away with the sins that they had done.**

"**I don't know," Camille sobbed, finally breaking down and letting everything out.**

"**Everything's going to be alright, Camille. Don't you worry," Evelyn soothed the young woman tenderly as she rubbed her back. "We need to get to the hospital."**

"**I know," Camille sniffed, accepting the tissue Evelyn passed to her. "I was about head down there now after I get Sofi."**

"**We'll pick her up on the way. Let me get my keys."**

**Evelyn rushed to grab her coat, purse, and keys. She wanted to wait up for Bobby and Angel to make sure they were alright, but she knew that she had to go see Jack first. Besides, Evelyn didn't feel that her two most troublesome sons were in any danger other than committing some sort of crime that would get them thrown in jail and Evelyn wasn't so sure she could bail them out this time.**


	13. It's Done

Don't ask me how I did it. But, it did. It took me a few years, but I finally discovered what Bobby and Angel did to Dan and Conner. And let me tell ya, it ain't pretty. When I first found out, it took me a moment to work off the shock of what my brothers could do. I know I'd seen them do some bad shit, but this time was different. This time it was personal. That's one thing about us Mercers. Never let the revenge get to close to home. I should know after what happened when Victor Sweet killed Mom. So, I could almost get a visual of the damage Bobby and Angel did when they got their hands on Dan and Conner.

**(Eight Years Ago)**

**Bobby grunted as he delivered a final punch to Dan's face. Dan's head snapped back and blood squirted from his mouth. He coughed on the oozy red liquid and dropped his head, too weak to lift it. Bobby and Angel had brought Dan and Conner to the most vacant place they could find in the middle of nowhere, as not to be disturbed while they worked. For nearly an hour, they had done nothing but beat Dan and Connor to the point where both men were sniveling like little children. Blood was everywhere: Soaking both Dan and Connor, on the ground, and smeared all over Bobby and Angel's clothes. It was the sight of a horror movie. Even the strongest, most ruthless man would cringe at the scene. It was truly the picture of brutal.**

"**How you wanna do this?" Angel asked Bobby as his older brother paced in front of him.**

"**I'm not sure," Bobby sighed, finally simmering down a bit. "I really can't decide if I want to beat them to death or just shoot them."**

**Conner shivered from his spot on the ground, nursing his leg where Angel had broken it. Dan just slumped unresponsively against Bobby's car, his breathing coming out in soft gurgles from the blood in the back of his throat.**

"**We've beat them enough. Let's just finish it," Angel said, drawing his gun from his pants and cocking it.**

"**I agree," Bobby said and followed suit with his gun.**

**Connor fought to crawl to some sort of safety as Angel made his way over to him. But, he failed miserably and only made it a few inches before Angel stopped him. Conner screamed in sheer agony as Angel stepped on his broken leg to immobilize him.**

"**AHHHH! Get off, you bitch!" Connor roared, kicking at Angel with his other leg.**

**Angel raised his foot from Connor's leg, only to slam it back down. Bones crunched under Angel's boot and Connor screamed bloody murder, writhing like a fish on a hook. Connor bawled, clawing at the dirt beneath him as pain vibrated throughout his body.**

"**You know…," Angel cleared his throat. "…I used to be jealous of Jack when he first moved in with us. I was the baby brother before he showed up and I pissed as hell when that role was stolen from me. But, Jack grows on you after awhile. There's no way I can hate that kid or hurt him. And I don't see how anyone else could."**

**Connor stared up at Angel with wide frightened eyes, knowing that it was him who he was talking about.**

"**Ma was right," Angel mumbled to Connor, as well as himself, as he studied the gun in his hand. "It really don't matter if you're related to someone by blood or not. Hell, you're Jack's real brother and look at where we are now. I'm being a brother more to that boy now than you ever were. Life's funny, ain't it?"**

**Angel spun the gun around his finger before aiming it at Conner's head.**

"**No!" Conner whimpered, raising his hands as if they could shield him from what was coming. "Please, man! Oh, god, don't it!"**

"**Is that how Jack begged for you to stop?" Angel asked, his tone horrifyingly serious, having lost all humor.**

"**Don't kill me, man! Please! I'm begging you! I'm sorry! Just don't shoot me! I don't want to die!"**

**Connor's pleas ended with the bullet through his head.**

**A second gunshot rung out through the air and Angel turned to find Bobby standing over Dan's body, which was now in a pool of blood. It was done.**

"**We gonna hide the bodies?" Angel asked, wiping the blood spattering his hands on his shirt.**

**Bobby stayed broodingly silent, slowly moving to the other side of the car and opening the door.**

"**Let's go," was all he said before getting in the driver's seat.**

**Angel shrugged, knowing no one would find the bodies of Dan and Connor anytime soon where they were. He got into the passenger side and tucked his gun back in his pants as Bobby started the car. The two brothers drove to their mother's house in silence, not regretting their actions or celebrating them. They just did what they had to do and that was the end of it.**


	14. Visiting The Parents

I hate coming to this place. But, I do it for Jayla. I stepped up to the front door and gave it three solid knocks. I glanced at Bobby as he sat in his car, drumming his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel. I knew he was fighting really, really hard not to take the keys from the ignition and come up here with me. He hated me coming to see my birth parents even more than I did. I couldn't very well blame him. My parents were bigger screw ups than I was. Hey, two negatives make a positive in math, right?

The door swung open and Jared smiled down at me. "Sam, we're glad you came."

"Well, I couldn't very well ignore what you guys told me about Jayla now could I?" I said as he stood back to let me in.

Jared hadn't done so bad for himself in the last few years. He had a good size house in a nice neighborhood. And he wasn't exactly poor either. I should know. He sent me a hundred bucks for my birthday. He was still a ho though. Every time I visited, he was with some new woman attached to his arm.

Jared and I walked into the kitchen, where Denise was sitting at the kitchen table. She stopped stuffing her face with the plate of spaghetti in front her when I walked into the room.

"Hi, sweetheart," she greeted me with a wide grin on her face as she came over to give me a hug.

I was shocked as I wrapped my arms around her body. She was so freaking skinny. I'd swear she was anorexic if I didn't know better. Denise's life wasn't as great as Jared's. Her drug addiction had only gotten worse since her and Jared spilt six years back. One thing after another went downhill for her. First she was fired from her job. Then she lost her house when she couldn't pay the bills. Now, she was living on the streets, doing whatever she could to get her precious drugs. Though I'd rather cut my tongue out than admit it to her, I was worried about Denise. She may have been a terrible mother. But, she was still my mother.

As I sat down at the table, I watched Jared and Denise share a look. They weren't one of those couples who still bickered after divorce. Though, they had severed all ties to each other except for Jayla and me. That's the only reason Denise was even in the house at the moment. Every so often, she came to beg Jared for money or a place to stay. But, he usually just told her to keep away from him or gave her a plate of food and enough money to last her a week. God, am I happy that I didn't still live with them.

"Okay, what's this about Jayla running off now?" I asked, shaking my head when Jared offered me a Pepsi.

"You know that every month I stop in to see how Jayla is doing with her foster parents?" I nodded at Jared. "Well, when I went this month, they say she ran away and they can't find her."

"And, Jared says she's been getting a little wild as well. You know, smoking, drinking, and partying to all hours of the night. She's even failing half her subjects in school," Denise added.

I sighed, putting my face in my hands and grinding my teeth. "I'm gonna kill her. I told that girl to cool her fast ass down. Now look what she's doing. When I find her, then she'll need to run away."

"How are you going to find her?" Denise asked, grabbing a glass to pour herself some wine.

Jared pried the wine bottle from her hands and handed her a glass of water instead. "Yeah, you know that girl can make herself scarce when she wants to."

"I know she can. She takes after me. Yet, she's dumber than I was at her age," I laughed, knowing it wouldn't be that hard to hunt down my little sister. I wasn't kidding when I said she wasn't that smart when it came to covering her tracks.

Denise worked on eating as much spaghetti as she could as Jared took over the conversation with me.

"I don't know what we're going to do with her, Sam. She's always doing something to get herself kicked out of a new home." Jared groaned, rubbing circles on his temples.

"Maybe Sam could take her for awhile," Denise mumbled past a mouthful of spaghetti.

Jared and I both looked at her with our right eyebrows raised in curiosity and question. Denise swallowed and shrugged.

"What? It's not a bad idea," Denise said, pointing her fork at me. "You're the only one Jayla listens to."

"You actually think they'll let me keep Jayla?" I wondered, trying to imagine what it'd be like living with my sister again.

"You are eighteen now," Jared said and I could see he was totally agreeing with Denise.

I didn't know about this idea. I mean, I loved my sister. But, Jayla was a little badass. It wasn't that hard to see why she was booted from so many different homes. The girl just did not want to try and get along with people. She insisted on making everything harder for everyone just so she could get her way. I wasn't calling her selfish. Okay, maybe I was. Then again, Jared and Denise were right. I was pretty much the only, and I mean only, person Jayla took orders from. I guess it was because she respected me and, at the same time, feared me. And maybe that's what she needed. I wished now more than ever I had Mom's help on this one. She could get through to Jayla. Hell, she got through to me.

"Fine," I huffed, throwing my hands up in surrender. "I'll take her. But, I can't guarantee she'll be leaving my house in one piece."

"Just don't kill her, baby. Thanks all we can ask for," Denise laughed lightly and I couldn't help but smirked.

I heard a horn honk loudly and grumbled as Jared stood to peer out the window.

"Which brother is that again?" he asked, his eyes growing in size at some kind of gesture Bobby must have sent his way.

"That's my oldest, Bobby," I informed him, pushing back the chair and getting to my feet.

"Those boys really look out for you, don't they?" Denise asked, smiling warmly.

I smiled back, nodded my head. "Yeah, they do."

The horn came again, honking over and over.

"Jesus!" I growled, balling my fists. I get it, Bobby!

"You better go. I think he's serious," Denise laughed, wiping her mouth with a napkin as she stood.

I headed for the front door, my parents behind me. Jared opened the front door as I zipped up my leather jacket and blow at my hair that kept falling in my face.

"It was good to see you again, baby," Denise said rather sadly as she squeezed me in a tight hug goodbye.

"Yeah, you to," I said, actually meaning it this time around.

"Come see us again, won't you?" Jared asked and I could almost hear the guilt in his voice.

I was mad at the man for missing so many years of my life. But, he was trying to make up for it now. So, I couldn't hate him forever.

"I'll back before you know it," I told him with a soft smile.

I surprised him and myself when I wrapped my arms around his body and hugged him. I hadn't truly ever hugged him since I was two.

"Bye, kiddo," he whispered and kissed my forehead.

"I'll call you guys once I find Jayla," I promised on my way out.

Bobby gave me the weirdest look when I got back in the car. It was a look I'd seen him give to Jack a few times. It was the kind of look that said 'What the hell is wrong with you?'.

"What?" I chuckled, buckling my seatbelt.

He shook his head with a dramatic sigh as he started the car. "It's happening."

"What's happening?" I scoffed, just barely controlling the urge I had to roll my eyes.

"You're turning into a chick and going soft on me," Bobby said as if he had been let down.

That 'going soft' comment went right out the window, along with Bobby's watch, when I punched him in the arm and cursed at him.

(**In later chapters**: Jack returns home ten times as distant than he was when he left, Bobby and Angel may be in trouble with the law more than they think, Jerry might propose to Camille and put a bun in that oven, and Sam finds Jayla in a disturbing situation. I have more chapters ready. If you review, I'll send them your way. Review your hearts out!)


	15. A Typical Day

(Thanks for the reviews, you guys. I loved them and you write such great things. I appreciate it.)

Okay, from the first moment I met Jack, I always knew he had some serious chaos going on inside his head. But, I never really understood how bad it was until I got older and witnessed it firsthand. And, by 'older', I mean ten years old. We Mercer kids grew up fast and had been through a lot more than people our ages should.

**I sat on the living room floor; so close to the TV that my eyes would most likely be ruined for life. I wasn't even watching the TV though. Every five seconds my eyes would flick to the door and I'd expect someone to walk through it. I'd come home a few days ago and never felt so wanted in my life. Mom cried nonstop tears of joy and held my hand all day like she would when I first came to her, never letting me out of her sight. And my brothers nearly suffocated me in more ways than one. Jerry literally suffocated me by scooping me in a bear hug the minute I set foot in the house. Angel followed me around everywhere, like someone was going to break into the house and kidnap me any minute. And Bobby questioned me about everything that happened while I was with my parents. He wanted to know how they treated me. He asked if they'd hurt me at all. And he offered to give Jared a good beating. By the end of my first day back, I was exhausted. But, I couldn't sleep. All night, all I could do was stare at Jack's bed and wonder where my best friend was. The next morning, I asked Mom why Jack wasn't home since Jerry said she'd gotten custody of Jack again. She told me about the car crash and said Jack was in the hospital, leaving out the part about Jack's father and brother abusing him. I could have figured that out anyway. Later on that day, Mom took me with her to go and see Jack. He was sleep when we arrived and I broke down in tears at the sight of my brother. Even though Jack was always seen by others as the weakest of the Mercer brothers, I saw him as my strong and brave big brother. It was frightening seeing him so wounded and fragile as he lay in the hospital bed.**

**Mom said she was bringing Jack home from the hospital today and, I had to say, I was almost ready to have a fit from how impatient I was getting. It was Bobby's reputation for being the hothead and flying of the handle. But, I just wanted all my brothers and my mother home so we could be a family again. A peculiar family; but a family, none the less.**

**I unglued my eyes from the front door when I heard singing. Jayla danced her way into the living room, singing a song Denise had taught her. I knew the song. But, I hadn't sung it in years, trying to wipe out any trace of my biological mother from my life.**

"**Sing and play patty cake with me, Sam," Jayla said in that cute little girl voice she possessed.**

"**Not now, Jayla," I said, waving her off as I stared at the front door again.**

"**Please," she whined annoyingly, moving over to me.**

"**No," I huffed.**

"**I'll tell Ms. Evelyn you didn't play with me," she threatened, putting her hands on her hips, thinking she was grown already.**

"**Go ahead and tell. I'll just tell her that you broke the lamp in Angel's room this morning," I threatened right back.**

**I'd never believed in that saying that females who live in the same house can butt heads and be territorial with each other. But, after living with Jayla, I found it to be true. Over the last few days, we'd been vying for attention from Mom and my brothers. And Jayla had tried to weasel her way into my room while Jack's bed was free. We had the snippy sisters' relationship down. It's amazing how things between us had changed since we moved from our parents' house to Mom's house.**

**I instantly regretted bullying Jayla, because her hazel eyes glistened with oncoming tears and her bottom lip trembled. While I knew Jayla was too grown-up for a five year old, she was still very sensitive from living in Jared and Denise's house.**

"**Don't cry, Jayla. I'm sorry," I quickly apologized, taking her waist and pulling her down onto my lap. "Shhh. I'm not gonna tell on you."**

"**Even if I tell on you?" Jayla sniffed, looking up at me hopefully.**

"**Don't push it," I laughed, wiping her tears away. "I'll make a deal with you. You don't tell and I'll play with you."**

**Jayla's face brightened so suddenly that it was as if she'd never been upset in the first place. She jumped to her feet and tugged on my hand to get me up. I stood and Jayla took my other hand.**

"**What do you want to play?" I asked her.**

"**Can we play 'Fly around the fairy'?"**

**I smiled at the name of the patty cake I'd taught her. I'd played that since I was three years old. I used to be able to talk Jack into playing it with me. So, I suppose it was actually my fault that Bobby started calling him a fairy. Go figure.**

"**Okay, on three," I said. "One, two, three."**

**We began with the regular patty cake slowly, before we sped up and added our own little moves into it. I sung it clearly so that Jayla would be able to follow, still a little rocky when it came to the words. Soon, I found myself laughing along with Jayla and having fun. So far, I'd grown up with brothers and didn't really have anyone besides Mom to do girl stuff with. And even Mom couldn't always play with me. Maybe Bobby would stop teasing me about being such a tomboy.**

**Jayla and I stopped playing when the front door opened. Mom walked in, hanging her spring jacket on one of the hooks on the wall. A second pair of footsteps followed and Jack came limping through the front door after her.**

"**Jack!" I squealed, running over to him.**

**I jumped on Jack in a hug and nearly took him to the ground.**

"**Easy, Sam. He's still in some pain," Mom laughed, tapping my nose with her finger.**

**I relaxed my hold on Jack and settled for keeping my arms wrapped around his waist.**

"**Hi, Sam," Jack said, embracing me tightly, despite his injuries.**

**I guess it was either from our sibling bond or living together for all those years. But, the second Jack spoke; I knew there was something different about him. I raised my eyes and looked closely at him. He was a lot skinnier than I remembered him being when he left. I could feel his ribcage beneath my arms and hands and his clothes were baggy on him. His face had changed the most though. Where was his smile? Jack always smiled for me, saying that I was the one that put smiles on his face. And there was a bruise, slightly healed, covering his left cheek. I guessed that was from the car crash. If I wasn't still so naïve back then, I'd known it was from a fist and not a crash. Then there were Jack's eyes. They'd forever been dark from an unbearable past. But, now I could barely catch a speck of the blue in them. They were such a dark navy now that they were almost black. I couldn't see any emotion in them and the slight spark of mischief in them was gone. Where was my brother? Because, this wasn't my brother Jackie.**

"**What's wrong with Jack?" I asked Mom.**

**Her eyes widened, surprised I'd immediately picked up on the difference in Jack.**

"**I just got home, Sam. I need to rest. That's all," Jack said, his voice a little too quiet for comfort.**

"**Come on, you guys. I'm going to whip up some lunch for all of you," Mom said, moving into the kitchen.**

**Jack followed her and I followed him, keeping a grip on his hand and helping him walk with the limp in his right leg. I dropped the subject for now. But, I was worried about Jack. By now, he'd be joking and fooling around with me. Or he'd be dying to get up to his room and play his guitar after being cooped up in the hospital for so long. This new behavior scared me.**

"**Are you hungry, Jayla," Mom asked my little sister as she skipped into the kitchen behind us.**

"**Yeah. Can we have cookies?"**

"**How about grilled cheese and maybe a scoop of ice cream afterwards?"**

"**That'll work," Jayla agreed, making Mom laugh.**

**Jack and I sat down at the kitchen table. I couldn't take my eyes off of Jack. There was just something that was off about him. What had happened while he was with his father and brother? I'd heard bad things about those two and how they had hurt Jack before. What had they done this time? I'd ask Jack about it tonight before we went to bed.**

"**Hi. I'm Jayla," she said, holding her hand out to Jack.**

**Jack raised an eyebrow, amused, before he accepted Jayla's hand and shook it. At least he was still friendly. That hadn't changed.**

"**Hey there, Jayla. How long have you been here?" Jack said, having already guessed that Jayla was yet another foster kid moving in.**

"**Not long. Sam's my sister," Jayla said, pointing at me.**

"**You have a sister?" Jack asked me, frowning.**

"**Looks like it," I sighed dramatically and Jayla stuck out her tongue, to which I gave her 'the finger'.**

"**Sam!" Mom scolded, straining her voice to keep from yelling as her cheeks turned bright red.**

"**What? Is that bad?" I asked innocently, totally clueless to what I'd just done.**

"**It's very bad, actually," Mom informed me. "Don't you dare do it again, young lady."**

"**Oh, Sam's in trouble," Jayla teased.**

"**How would you like my foot upside your head?" I growled, making her shrink away towards Jack.**

**I almost missed it. But, I saw it. When I made my threat to Jayla and she recoiled out of fear, Jack's entire demeanor changed. His eyes grew cold and his body tensed from head to toe, looking slightly inhuman. I remembered this defensive sort of stance from my first two years with Jack. He had the ability to keep his emotions bottled up and play things off, saying they didn't bother him. But, there were times when he was taken by surprise and he would totally shut down, like he wasn't quite in the moment. Yet another thing about my brother that scared the living daylights out of me. There were some parts of Jack that not even I was comfortable with.**

"**Jackie Boy?" Angel entered the kitchen, breaking the awkward silence that I'd put us in.**

**Jack jumped to his feet immediately to greet our brother, knowing that I'd caught him spacing out.**

"**When did you get home?" Angle asked and hugged Jack.**

"**Just now," Jack said, shrugging out of Angel's arms. Was I the only one that noticed how nervous he seemed to be?**

"**I'm making lunch. So, take a seat, Angel. You can fill Jack in on the things he missed while he was gone. And maybe you can tell Angel some things as well, Jack," Mom said, handing Jayla a grilled cheese sandwich.**

"**Uh," Jack dragged out tentatively, inching towards the kitchen door. "I'm still kind of tired, Mom. Can I just go take a nap?"**

"**Aren't you gonna eat?" I asked, sensing that he was lying.**

"**I'm not really that hungry, Sam," Jack replied through gritted teeth, giving me a look that only I understood. It was a look I'd giving him plenty of times, begging him not to snitch on me. He'd kept more of my secrets than I could count. So, I was obliged to do the same.**

"**Not hungry?" Mom scoffed, sending Jack a quizzical look. "You haven't eaten at all today. And despite your ridiculously thin form, I know you chow down just as much as your brothers."**

"**I'm just not hungry. Okay, Mom?" Jack snapped loudly, his eyes narrow and heated.**

**No one spoke a word, leaving it alone, as Jack left the room and went upstairs to our bedroom. Only when we heard the door slam shut did Angel open his mouth.**

"**I don't like this, Ma," he said, leaning against the counter.**

"**Neither do I. But, we both knew the possibilities of what would happen when Jack came home. You know the type of environment he's been in for the last few weeks. You can't blame him for being shaken up, Angel," Mom said, keeping her attention on cooking the grilled cheese sandwiches, as not to let Jayla and I see her so upset.**

"**At least we don't have to worry about him going back to that place," Angel said, his face set harshly at the memory of Jack's father and brother.**

"**Speaking of which," Mom sighed, grabbing Angel's arm and pulling him into the laundry room so I wouldn't hear. I made sure I heard anyway. "One of these days you're going talk to me about what you and Bobby did. I don't need the police coming to take you boys away from me. I just got Jack and Sam back. I couldn't handle anything else."**

**Angel nodded solemnly before planting a kiss on Mom's cheek and whispering in her ear, "Don't worry, Ma. Everything's cool now. Just chill and we got the rest."**

"**That's what I'm afraid of," Mom said unhappily, rubbing Angel's arm on her way back into the kitchen.**

**When Angel sat at the table and Mom went back to cooking, I fixed a fake smile on my face and drank my glass of milk as if I'd heard nothing. I knew there was something different about Jack. I agreed with Angel. I didn't like this at all. Jack hadn't been like this in years. Even back then, he wasn't as bad as he was now. Glancing at the stairs that led up to our rooms, I swore I was going to get to the bottom of what was up with Jack. And I wasn't doing it out of my usually nosiness. I was just doing it because I loved my brother and feared I might be too late to save him from something horrible that was coming into the Mercer home. I couldn't tell Jerry about my thoughts on this. He'd just tell Mom and they'd try to get Jack to talk about how he was feeling, which would get him mad at me. Then, Bobby and Angel would take the direct approach and corner Jack until he probably cracked under the pressure. And that was never a good thing. So, it was my job to help Jack and keep everybody else from getting upset about this whole thing. Man, being the youngest was hard.**

"**You are so lucky that you don't have big brothers, Jayla," I sighed, taking a bite of one of my grilled cheeses.**

**Jayla nodded without hesitation, having just witnessed a typical day under this roof.**

(Sorry for the wait, you guys. I'm just swamped with everything. I hope you like the chapter. Reviews as always. Peace out.)


	16. It's A Bad Day

Okay. So far, today was turning out to be a bad day. This morning, Jerry came over with a stack of SAT books and tried to drill me on everything. That left me with a freaking migraine. Though I was fairly smart and didn't mind schoolwork, I was a dreamer and didn't like things straight forward; mostly tests and grades. But, none of my brothers were getting off my case until I graduated from college. Should I ignore the fact that I didn't want to go away to college and leave home to make my brothers happy?

Later on, Bobby and Angel started arguing about Sofi living in the house again. I had to translate half the damn fight because La Vida Loca decided it was a good day to talk in nothing but Spanish. So, I had to break things up between Bobby and Sofi before I had to listen to Sofi bellyache for an hour about how Angel wasn't paying enough attention to her. Even if I'd dated a few times, I've never been cut out for the boyfriend thing. I liked being by myself and all the couples I'd seen in my high school made me sick to my stomach. Watching Angel and Sofi, a serious relationship seemed like too much of a headache and a waste of my time. Then again, Jerry and Camille sort of made me hope that I'd get married one day and have kids.

While I was having lunch, a guy in this one band that Jack was thinking about joining called, asking for Jack. Jack was out at the time, making a store run for me. This dude starts yelling at me for no reason, saying I'm lying to him about Jack not being home. It took me about five minutes to recognize his voice. Sampson Wilson. He used to go to school with Jack. I remembered, because he would always try to get me and Jack on drugs. Roles switched and I began cursing him out. By the time I got done, the man was quiet and very polite. I told him Jack would call him back later and slammed the phone down. That's why I was never the type of girl to talk on the phone a lot.

Now, here I was driving around at night, looking for my foolish, too-fast-for-her-age sister. I was tempted to just go home and forget about her. But, I knew that was impossible. My worry for that girl would eat away at me until I hunted her down. What was this power she had over me? I knew what it was. It was the same power Jerry, Angel, Jack, and I had over Bobby. He was our big brother and wouldn't let us forget it. Even if Jayla wasn't a Mercer, she sure fit the mold. She was turmoil, danger, and a speck of idiocy packed into one person. That pretty much explained a Mercer. There was only one thing she didn't have that we Mercers did: Love. She didn't have anyone like I did to care about. And she believed that no one cared about her. If I didn't care for her, I'd leave her stupid self alone and move on. But, just when I think everything is fine, she pulls me back into her twisted world.

"Would y'all stop calling me?" I huffed in my cell phone as I pulled down another street.

"No, we're not gonna stop calling you. We'll harass the hell out of ya until you bring your ass back here. Are you out of your mind, girl? We get home and you're missing," Bobby ranted.

"She did leave a note," Jack spoke up and I heard what sounded like Bobby snatching the note from him.

"Oh, yeah," Bobby chuckled coldly. "All it says is that she's going out and she'll be back later. She could have been giving a guy a blowjob in an alley for all we knew from her letter."

"Oh, it's nice to know my brother thinks I'm a slut," I scoffed, rolling down the window to curse at this guy who nearly ran me off the road.

"Who you calling a dick?" Bobby demanded, thinking I was talking to him.

"Not you," I said. "Though there are some names I'd like to label you with."

"Likewise, Sweet Cheeks," he shot back.

"Would you two give it a rest?" Jerry sighed and Angel agreed in the background.

"Where are you anyways, Sam?" Jack asked, taking over the phone.

"Looking for Jayla."

"The hooker always asking for handouts?" Angel wondered.

I hit the brakes so hard that the cars behind me honked their horns. "My sister is not a hooker! Even if she dresses like a little tramp, watch what you say, Angel."

"Sorry," Angel dragged out, his tone anything but sincere.

It didn't make me feel better when Jack and Bobby hooting with laughter. This was anything but funny. If I knew Jayla as well as I thought I did, then Angel's impression of her may not be so far off. My little sister had been on the streets more than she'd been in foster homes. She'd rather sell drugs, steal, and all of that other junk than live in somebody else's house. I still didn't see how we were related.

"Guys, don't joke about Jayla like that. I'm really starting to worry about her."

My brothers quit laughing at once and became serious; knowing now was not the time to clown around.

"You should have let me come with you," Bobby said just to get on my nerves.

"I don't need you baby-sitting me, Bobby," I scoffed.

"Bobby's got a point, Sam. What if you get into trouble?" Jerry said, to my dislike. I could never really argue with Jerry, because he was usually always right.

"I won't get in trouble. You guys act like I'm Jack." I smirked, imagining Jack's reaction.

"Oh, thanks a lot, Sam," he said and someone snickered. "Shut up, Angel."

"She's telling the truth, Jackie-poo," Angel said between laughs.

"I'm kidding, Jack." Well, sort of.

There was movement as someone took the phone. A moment later I heard Jerry's voice. "When are you coming home?"

"Tell her to bring her ass home now," Bobby cut him off loudly.

"You tell Bobby that I'm eighteen and he can't boss me around like that," I ordered Jerry defiantly.

"I heard you," Bobby snarled and there were shuffling noises again as Bobby stole the phone from Jerry. "I don't care if you're eighteen. You could be eighty and I'd still drag you home, Sammy."

"Sam," I corrected as if he would care to listen. "And chill out. I'll be home in an hour and a half tops. I just want to look a little longer for Jayla."

"Have you tried calling her?" Jerry asked.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not an idiot. That's the first thing I did. But, the brat won't pick up her cell."

"Can you think of anywhere she might be?"

"A friend of hers told me to check out this place that supposedly has kids hanging around it all the time. She said it's one of Jayla's favorite joints," I said, already heading that way.

"Want us to meet you there?"

"I'll be fine, Jerry," I groaned, sick and tired of my brothers babying me.

"Alright. Call us when you're done."

"Call us when she's done?" Bobby exclaimed. "What the hell is wrong with you, Jerry? You just gonna let her go down there by herself?"

"She can handle it, Bobby," Jerry sighed.

"Oh, since she's eighteen now, we ain't supposed to watch out for her no more?"

As Bobby and Jerry continued going back and forth about me, somebody else took over the phone conversation. It was Jack.

"We'll see you when you get home, Sam. Promise you'll call or Bobby might take matters into his own hands."

"I promise. Bye."

"Be careful. Bye." He hung up just as Bobby demanded the phone back.

I shut my phone off and put it in my coat pocket. I had to make this search for Jayla quick or Bobby really would drive around looking for me the same way I was looking for Jayla. This was how it always was with Jayla. No matter how strongly I loved that girl, she was selfish and liked having all eyes on her. She brought others into her mess and screwed up people's lives. Jared and Denise were right. She had to live with me. I was the only one who wasn't afraid to tell her the truth about what a spoiled brat she was. And I sure as hell was going to tell her as soon as I found her.

I just hoped I found her.


	17. Sam's Demons

Though my brothers knew every detail about my life since I became part of the family, my life before that day was something I didn't divulge too openly. The one thing that I've never told anyone, even Mom, was that things happened to me in a few foster homes before I stopped going to them. Over all these years, I'd learned to deal with it on my own and grew from my past. That didn't mean I had forgotten a single part of it. When something is done to you at five-years-old, you just don't let it go. So, I guess you could say that I knew more than anyone what Jack was going through.

**I bit into my pillow, silencing my screams as I woke from my first nightmare in months. My eyes burned with fresh tears as I wheezed, fighting for air that didn't seem to be there. I clutched my chest, the pain from my heart beating like there was no tomorrow in my chest proving too much for me to take. I'd had plenty of nightmares before. But, I hadn't had this one in God knows how long.**

**I tried to be quiet as I slipped out of bed, not wanting to wake Jack. But, I was shaking so much that I fell out of bed and hit the floor. The noise didn't bother Jack. He was probably caught up in his own dreams. I quickly crawled across the floor; my legs not steady enough to stand on. I pushed open the door of the next bedroom and went in. While Jack was a heavier sleeper, Mom was not and sat up as I came over to her bed.**

"**Oh, sweetie," she sighed, mothering instincts telling her the moment she saw me what was the problem.**

**Mom stretched out her arms to me as I climbed into her bed. As soon as I fell into her comforting embrace, I started crying against her shoulder. Mom rocked me softly, stroking my hair and whispering tender words in my ear. How did she always know? I wouldn't tell her about my dreams or the events that brought them on. It seemed I never had to. She just knew and understood without me having to say a word.**

"**There, there," Mom soothed, even though I had quit crying and gone silent. She always told me wiping your tears away didn't take the pain with them. It was the truth. "You want to tell me what you dreamt about?"**

**The words were in my throat; just on the tip of my tongue. But, my ears heard no sound when my lips parted. I don't know why I tired. I was too weak to say it. I was too scared to say it. I was too much in denial to say it. Even if I believed it to be true inside of me, I couldn't say it out loud. Saying it would make it real. And I didn't want it to be real. I needed it all to stay a bad dream. As long as it was a nightmare, I could wake up from it.**

**Those three little words would remain behind sealed lips: ****I was raped.**

**Even thinking those words made my body feel dirty and my privates ache. I scrunched up my face in my hands and closed my eyes, my brain pounding painful as I made to drive the forbidden memories out.**

"**Kitten," I finally answered Mom in a whisper, a minute later.**

**She recognized that word right away. It was the nickname no one had permission to call me. Not that they would want to anyway when they saw what it did to me. Bobby had called me it for the first time, and last time, when I was six. Mom had asked him to tuck me in and make sure I got to sleep okay since she was busy finishing up the cupcakes for me to take to school the next day. Of course Bobby complained, only giving in when he caught a glimpse of my adorable face. After getting me in bed and telling me a rather adult rated bedtime story, he bid me a goodnight.**

**Glancing at the poster of a cat that Jack had begged me not to put up, Bobby tried a new nickname for me.**

**Giving me a brief kiss on the head, Bobby whispered, "Go to sleep, kitten."**

**Bobby was not an easy man to put fear into. But, I scared him so bad that he leapt away from me and backed into the closet door, grabbing his heart, as I screamed like someone who was being burned alive. One after another, my family members rushed into the room to see what had happened. Somewhere, in my distant mind, I felt someone drag me out from under the bed, where I had been curled up in the most familiar position of my life; a protective ball. As that person, I later found out to be Jerry, got the last few inches of me out from the darkness of the space beneath my bed, the innocent little girl in me vanished and I turned into some wild animal. I kicked at Jerry and scratched his face with my nails. He had no choice but to let me go. Angel just took his place and seized me from behind; crossing my arms across my chest and pinning them there. I flailed and shrieked for what I thought was hours; but, really only five minutes. While those five minutes for Mom and my brothers were spent fighting to break me out of the beastly hostility I'd developed, for me it was five hours of being trapped in a relentless nightmare.**

"_**Where are you, Samantha?" my foster father's voice asked softly.**_

_**I had barely escaped without him or any of his friends noticing. Puny for a five-year-old, I had been able to squeeze myself between a cabinet and the corner it was up against. Instinctively, I curled up in ball and hugged my broken body. I choked on my sobs, knowing they'd hear me if I cried.**_

"_**I'm going to slit her throat when I find her! She promised she'd never leave us!" my foster mother bellowed and I cringed when glass shattered on the floor.**_

"_**Shut up, Alexis! She's never gonna come out with you talking like that," my foster father spat at his mentally insane wife.**_

"_**She couldn't have gotten far," a female voice scoffed, heels clicking closer to the cabinet.**_

_**A man groaned with frustration. "Let's find her quick. I want her so bad that I'm getting hard-on just thinking about how tight she'll be."**_

_**I pressed my legs together so hard there wasn't a single space between them when I thought of the last time he had held me down on the couch and hurt me. He was the worst of them all. The others at least thought of me as a little girl and pulled back at some point. But, he saw me as an 'it' whenever he had me.**_

"_**Can I put one of your beer bottles or maybe Maria's boot heel inside of her when we find her, Kenny?" my foster mother asked joyfully, clapping her hands as she bounced up and down.**_

_**I fought a squeal of surprise when a horrible slap reached my ears and my foster mother whimpered as she fell against what could only be the coffee table.**_

"_**We're never going to find her if keep saying stupid things to scare her. Now, shut your big mouth and leave it to the rest of us to get her!"**_

"_**Yes, dear," my foster mother mumbled obediently.**_

"_**What's her name again?" a new voice asked as they came out of the kitchen.**_

"_**Samantha," the heeled girl answered.**_

"_**Come on out, Samantha. We're not going to hurt you, little one," a deeper woman's voice called to me in a friendly tone.**_

"_**We just want to play some fun games with you, cutie pie," the heeled girl giggled.**_

"_**Look at the delicious piece of candy I found, y'all."**_

_**I whirled around when I realized how close the voice was this time and stared up into evil blue eyes through the crack between the edge of the cabinet and wall. A large hand pushed the cabinet out of the way and there stood the guy who was always roughest with me. He crossed his arms and licked his lips like a hungry wolf as I shot into the corner and glued my back to it.**_

"_**You found her?" My foster father came to stand at the other man's side and smiled at me. "There you are, Samantha. I've been worried sick about you."**_

_**I sobbed without thinking upon seeing that face; far worse than that of the boogieman's. At least the boogieman was imaginary and only came at night.**_

"_**Ah," my foster father said sadly, holding out his arms to me. "Let Daddy give you a hug, kitten."**_

"_**Drop the sensitiveness, man," the brutal guy hissed in disgust as he captured my chafed ankle in a bone breaking grip. "Come and let me see those dimples. And I don't mean on your face."**_

_**A scream stung my raw throat as he dragged me out and into view of the other eight people waiting for their turn. I made a feeble attempt to scurry back into my hiding place. But, my foster father scooped me off the ground by my waist and up into his arms; planting a nauseating kiss on my lips. I whimpered at the feeling of his tongue swimming around in my mouth and pushed his face to get it away so I could breathe.**_

"_**Daddy's gonna show you how much he loves his beautiful baby girl," he chuckled, massaging my bottom roughly with his hand. "Happy birthday, kitten."**_

**To this day, I claimed I never had a fifth birthday.**

**Screams made my heart thud against my chest as I sat up in bed. It took me a few seconds to see that I was ten-years-old again and not five; that it had all been a memory and I was sleeping safe and sound in Mom's bed. The scream came again and Mom reached past me to flick on the lamp. It took another few moments to know the screaming wasn't mine. It was Jack's.**

"**I'll be right back, sweetie," Mom whispered, running a hand over my wavy brown hair.**

**She climbed out of bed and grabbed her robe before dashing to the room next door. The lights in the hallway were on by now and I knew that everybody else was up. I clambered my way out of the bed and went to go see what was wrong.**

"**Stop it!" I heard Jack scream when I got into the hall.**

"**Jackie, wake up. You're okay. No one is going to hurt you," Mom said in her maternal way.**

**I pushed at Bobby and Angel's legs as they blocked the door, preventing me from getting in. Curse my not yet fully grown childish height.**

**A crash, followed immediately by another, caused me to jump and clutched Bobby's hand with mine. He tore his eyes away from what sounded like a war in mine and Jack's room and lowered his eyes to our locked hands.**

"**Sammy, what are you doing out here?" he asked, totally having just noticed me.**

**Both of our heads jerked back to the room when things went tumbling off the desk and Mom gave a startled shriek. Angel abandoned his post by the door and rushed to help Mom out with Jack, who was obviously putting up a heavy fight. Bobby cursed through his gritted teeth and I caught the briefest glimpse of someone's blood as Angel's grunts, Jack's screams, and Mom's yells continued.**

"**Jerry, take Sam and keep her downstairs," Bobby ordered, seizing my arm and dragging me over to Jerry.**

"**I don't want to go. What's wrong with Jack?" I demanded, frowning up at him.**

"**Not now, Sammy," Bobby said once Jerry's grip had replaced his on my arm.**

"**Come on, Sam," Jerry sighed, pulling me after him as he moved towards the stairs.**

"**But…but…but…"I repeated, my words not forming as Angel shouted for Bobby's help and our oldest brother quickly assisted.**

**That's when I saw why Bobby had cursed before. Mom was sprawled out on Jack's bed, either from Jack or one of the others. There were little droplets of blood on her cheeks and hands. It wasn't her blood. Both Bobby and Angel had blood smeared on them as well. But, it wasn't their blood either. I noted that several lines of red blood trailed from the covers on Jack's bed across the floor to where my bed was. The blood was coming from Jack. Bobby had wrestled him onto my bed and sat on his stomach to hold him there. Jack snarled a curse at Bobby as he pulled his arm back to swing at him. Angel leapt out of nowhere and restrained Jacks wrists down to my mattress. Jack screamed bloody murder as his last way of resistance was taken from him and kicked ineffectively. A sharp cry came from him as Angel pried something out of his hands at long last. With sickening realization, my eyes fell on my scissors that I'd left on the desk. Jack had cut himself! I took in the deep, bloody slashes on Jack's arms that he'd self-inflicted. Why? That's all I could think. Why?**

"**Why?" I asked Jerry out loud, needing one of my brothers to make me understand.**

**Bobby caught sight of me watching and winced when he saw the confusion and fear in my eyes. "Jerry, get her downstairs like I told ya. Ma, close the door."**

**Mom grabbed the handle and swing the door shut. I could still clearly hear the fight taking place on the other side.**

"**Why, Jerry?" I questioned, having to know that Jack was going to be alright.**

**Jerry knelt so that he was eye level with me and shook his head honestly. "Not today, Sam. You wouldn't understand."**

"**When then?" I asked, frowning because everybody thought I was too young or too innocent to understand. Both were far from the truth.**

**Jerry held out his arms and I stepped forward into them, knowing his embrace like I knew the back of my hand. Jerry picked me up and I wrapped my arms around his neck as he carried me downstairs, away from the noise of our hostile brothers and mother in my bedroom.**

"**When, Jerry?" I repeated, refusing to be ignored.**

"**You'll probably get it when you're a teenager, like Jack. Or you might understand when your much older," Jerry sighed, glancing at me out of the corner of his eye. "If you're anything like Jack, then you'll find out on your own without any of us having to tell you. I just hope you don't have to go through that, Sam. Me, Bobby, Angel, and Jack all want you happy and nothing to ever push you as far as it pushed Jack tonight. That's why we protect you so much; so you don't have to go through what we went through."**

"**Do you think I'll ever do something like what Jack did?" I asked as Jerry walked into the living room.**

**Jerry laid me down on the couch and draped a blanket over me. He parked himself down beside me and stared deep into my wondering eyes. He didn't want to tell me, but knew he had to.**

"**You got a bit of all of us in you, Sam. So, there's no telling. You've got Bobby's pushiness, but Jack's thoughtfulness. You've got my common sense, but Angel's spur-of-the-moment mind. And you have all of Mama in you. Then again, you've also got a bit of just yourself, right here." His fingers tapped my heart.**

"**You're never going to tell me the truth, are you?" I snorted, my right eyebrow rising doubtfully.**

**Jerry laughed. "No. Now you have to figure it all out by yourself. How about that?"**

**I smirked with a shrug of my little shoulder. "I think I can do that."**

I sure did do it. It may have cost me half of my freshman grade year of high school all stoned on whatever drugs you could think of, including household inhalants. I hated thinking about my old druggie life almost as much as I feared remembering how I lost my virginity. I can't say how many times I came stumbling home in the middle of the night, on a high so hard that I couldn't even recall my own name. There were two of the worst drug accidents that really pushed my brothers and Mom to force me off the addiction track for good. Twice, I'd gotten close to overdosing. One time was at party and a friend of mine called Jerry to come pick me up. The other, Mom found me unconscious in the bathtub, with a bottle of pills and a can of cleaner I'd been inhaling beforehand. I'd barely come through the second one with my life. I had no choice in the matter to quit drugs; which was a good thing.

While being clean off of drugs left me healthy from their affects, it didn't leave me completely healthy. Drugs made me not care what people thought. When I was off of them, I was bothered with what people thought about me to the point where it was paranoia. And that's how I became bulimic and anorexic. All the girls at my school were so skinny and boys loved them. I was nobody and an outcast. The girls didn't want to be friends with me and the boys never tried to ask me out. I began cutting down my food intake. Then, I would throw up my food after I ate it. Soon, I wasn't eating at all.

Now that I look back, I have to wonder what the hell I was thinking. I was such a stupid little angry teenager. But, that was my own fault. I thought my past wouldn't catch up to me. I had been seriously mistaken. Jerry had hit it right on the mark as usual. He said I would most likely figure it out on my own and I did. After all of that junk, I understood exactly why Jack had cut himself as a teen. Like the saying goes, 'You'll never understand something until you experience it first hand'. Got that right. There was a list of hateful words and disastrous events that I sometimes begged I could take back. But, you can't live in the past, can you?


	18. I'm sorry

The punk I'd cornered tried to make a run for it. He only got three steps away before I seized the collar of his shirt and slammed him into a wall. The mousy guy didn't resist, knowing I'd beat the crap out of him if he did. I'd already given him a bloody nose and chipped tooth.

"I'll ask you again. Where is she?" I yelled in his face.

"I'm not sure which girl you're talking about. I know at least five that fit the description you gave me," he said, his wide eyes looking for help.

There was no one around but us. I'd chased this guy out of Jayla's usual hangout and down a few streets until he hit a dead end. It seemed I knew the area better than he did, because I could have told him to make a left instead of a right if he wanted to get away from me.

"She looks almost exactly like me," I told the guy, shoving him back into the wall when he made to move. "The only difference is that she's thirteen."

"That limits your choices to two," the guy said, looking relieved that we were getting closer to finding the right person.

I frowned, making a visual of Jayla in my head. What else could I give this punk to make him remember which girl was Jayla?

"Can you think of any differences between the two?" I asked.

"One had a tattoo of a butterfly on her chest and, I think, the other had a nose ring," he stuttered, looking like his brain might explode from the effort it took to recall this information.

I'd kill Jayla if she ever got a tattoo. "Where's the one with the nose ring?"

"Back at the factory," he answered, pointing down the street.

"Is that where I found you?"

He nodded, wrinkling his nose to rid it of the blood still following from it. I released his shirt and stepped back.

"You better not be lying to me or I will find your ass again," I warned him.

"I know," he said, his voice nasally as he wiped his nose. "You're a Mercer, right?"

"You've heard of us?" I asked, amused. I forgot we were so well known.

"You're brother nearly crippled my cousin. The white one with the bad attitude and short fuse."

"Bobby," I chuckled, almost before he finished.

"That's the one," the guy said with a snap of his fingers. "Can I go now?"

"Yeah," I sighed, signaling for him to run off. "Don't make me come looking for you."

"I won't," he assured me, getting the hell away from me.

I did a u-turn and ran in the direction I had originally come from. Checking my watch, I couldn't believe it was close to midnight. Jayla had me out here, looking for her sorry ass, when I should be at home getting some sleep. Unfortunately, I did have school in the morning.

When I reached the factory again, which was in fact a shut down factory, I had no patience whatsoever left in my body. There were a few men who flirted with me and asked if I had a desire to go home with them. Generally, I was the nice one in our family and let people down easy. But, every guy that got in my way tonight, I told to leave me the hell alone. I was not in the mood. I was tired and fed up. And, as if my night wasn't rough enough as it is, I found Jayla in the last place I needed to.

"Jayla!" My sister's name came out in a roar as I clenched my fists.

Jayla and the guy she was kissing jumped at the interruption and turned towards the door of the room when I threw it open. I gripped the doorframe, so angry I could take a swing at somebody. And Jayla was my number one target. Picture this: My baby sister on a bed with some guy up in her like she's a dog in heat.

"Sam?" Jayla gasped, wincing because she knew she was caught and in big trouble.

"Who are you?" the Bow Wow wannabe demanded, glaring at me.

"Who the hell are you? And what are you doing on my little sister?" I asked, though I knew exactly what they were they were doing from their position and lack of clothing.

"Sister?" he repeated, eyebrows rising.

"Get out of me, Tony," Jayla grunted. She hastily changed her words to 'Get off of me' at the enraged flare of my face.

Tony rolled off of her and pulled his boxers on as Jayla scrambled to cover herself with something. My anger swerved from Jayla to Tony when he took my hand and grinned at me.

"I can certainly see the family resemblance between you and Jayla," he said, eyeing the smidgen of skin visible between my jeans and the part of my shirt that had ridden up slightly. "Are you in the same business as your sister?"

"Business?" I questioned, glancing at Jayla, who kept her eyes on anything but me.

"Yeah. How much it cost to get in these pants?" Tony said in what he thought was a seductive way, running his finger along the zipper of my jeans.

"Tony, I wouldn't do that," Jayla hurried to stop him.

Jayla's advice went unheeded, because Tony was knocked into the wall from the right hook I hit him with. I would have loved to teach Tony a thing or two about respecting women. But, he wasn't the person I had it out for. I still had to deal with Jayla.

"I didn't mean no harm, girl." Tony obviously didn't know when to shut his mouth. "I just thought this was like a two for one deal or something."

"So, you normally go around and screw thirteen-year-old girls?" I said, shrugging.

"I didn't know she was that young. All I know is that she was willing to get down if I gave her some cash."

I whirled around on Jayla, ready to kill.

"I know, Sam. You don't even have to say anything," she blurted out, seeing my face.

"Get out of here," I growled, my eyes still on Jayla.

Knowing I was talking to him, Tony snatched up his things and got lost. Jayla fidgeted underneath the sheet wrapped around her, giving me her puppy dog stare because she knew what was coming from me. Her cuteness wasn't working this time.

"First of all…" I started calmly. "…put some clothes on."

Jayla did as she was told and promptly got to work getting dressed in her tube top, miniskirt, and boots. What was she thinking going out wearing an outfit like that? When Jayla was through putting her clothes on, she timidly raised her gaze to meet mine.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled those famous words she had come to use every time I saw her.

"Shut up," I silenced her, beckoning her with my finger. "Come here."

Jayla shuffled her feet as she came to stand in front of me. I was quite taller than her. So, my height was intimidating when we were this close to each other.

"Second…" I said, holding up two fingers. "I was worried sick about you."

I could feel Jayla stiffen with surprise as I yanked her into a hug and all but crushed her as I held her close. She was safe.

"Third," I whispered in her ear.

A squeak of shock escaped Jayla's mouth as I pulled away from her and slapped her clear across the face. Her head snapped to the side and she put a hand to her stinging cheek.

"That was for worrying me in the first place," I snarled, no longer being kind towards her. She didn't deserve sympathy from me anymore.

Jayla's cocoa eyes shined as tears filled them and rolled down her face. The tears didn't even work on me this time.

"How dare you run away! I wouldn't have even known you were gone if it weren't for Jared and Denise! You better be glad that someone cares for you after all the stuff you've done!" I shouted, too infuriated to be concerned that Jayla's crying was increasing. "Speaking of the dumb stuff you've done, this one takes the cake. Not only are probably living on the streets. You're prostituting yourself like a common whore!"

"Sam, I said I was sorry," Jayla sobbed, moving to hug me.

I pushed her away harder than I meant to, yelling, "I know you're sorry, Jayla. You're always sorry. That's the thing though. You don't mean it. You just say that so I'll forgive you and let you go on ruining your life. The last time, I found you in your bedroom shooting up on drugs. The time before that, you were drinking with your no good friends. Then there were all those times you threatened to slit your wrists to get attention."

"I stopped all of that. I promise," Jayla sniveled, gripping my hands.

I yanked my hands away. "How do I know you're not lying? You lied the last time. You said you'd never mess up again. Do you think I want to wake up one morning to find you in the hospital or dead, Jayla? I only lost my mom less than a year and a half ago. I can't loose someone else."

"I'm sorry," Jayla gasped, not having anything else to say.

"I don't want to hear another sorry from you! Get in the car!" I barked, grabbing her arm and thrusting her out of the room.

Jayla began bawling like a baby as we moved through the crowd of people to the front door. Half of the big sister in me was saying to hold my little sister and make her feel better about all that had happened. But, the other half was saying lock her up and throw away the key until her eighteenth birthday came.

The ride back to my house was quiet, except for the sniffles of Jayla's soft crying in the seat beside me. I had finished screaming at Jayla about ten minutes into driving and settled for giving her the silent treatment. I wasn't as mad at Jayla as I let on. In fact, I was scared. I knew what sort of dangers she could get herself into, because I'd been there myself. I had nearly died once or twice. And the stressful things I put my family through were enough to motivate me. I feared that there might be a time when I wasn't there to save Jayla.

Jayla turned towards me and opened her mouth to say 'I'm sorry' yet again.

I took one hand off the wheel and held it between the two of us. "Don't, Jayla. I don't want to hear it."

And then we were back to not speaking.

(Two chapters this time, you guys. I hope you liked that. I gave Sam a little more back story since she's seeming a little plain to me. I love troubled characters. Don't you? If you do, tell me so and I will go on.)


	19. No Smoking

Things hadn't gone well a few hours ago. Jayla and I had a big fight when we got back to the house. It resulted in her screaming at the top of her lungs that she hated my guts and me grounding her from everything. So, I was no longer her favorite person in the world and she was pretty much on house arrest.

"Why are you doing this to me? You're ruining my life!" Jayla cried from where she sat on the stairs, pouting like someone half her age.

"Oh, stop being a drama queen. Do I look like a care?" I spat, glaring at her as I paced the area at the bottom of the stairs.

Bobby and Angel watched from the couch, cheering whenever one of us got in a good insult, as if this was the best movie they had ever seen in years. They may have thought it was funny. But, I was far from laughing. Jayla was working my last nerve.

"My reputation is probably shot to pieces because of you. All my friends saw you bust in and drag me out of there like you were supposed to be my mother," Jayla whined. I forgot how annoying she could be. Why did I put up with her?

"I'm all you got as far as mothers go. Yours is a junkie, in case you didn't remember."

Jayla's lips curled into a smug smile. "I remember perfectly how you followed in her footsteps. I'm sure she's so proud."

I was coming at her before I could stop myself. I had her pinned to the stairs in seconds and gave her a good smacking around before Bobby dragged me off of her. With a split lip, Jayla ran up the stairs and locked herself in the bathroom to cry her eyes out. I admit I felt a little guilty. Not sorry enough to apologize.

Even though I was all against going easy on Jayla, I had suggested that she use my bed and I could sleep on the couch. Her answer was a childish stomp to the bedroom and slam of the door behind her. Jack had objected to the idea of having to share our room with a touchy livid thirteen year-old-girl. I promised it would only be for a little while, so Jayla could have a warm bed to sleep in until I fixed up the basement as a bedroom. As if to worsen my mood, Bobby bitched that he didn't want Jayla living in the house, even when he'd agreed to let her stay when I asked him before. It took forever, time I much rather spend relaxing, to convince him. At least everybody seemed okay that Jayla was living with us now. I just hoped Jayla didn't go do something stupid that would throw the entire family into chaos.

As hard as I had tried, I couldn't go to sleep that night. There were so many things on my mind. Of course, Jayla was my number one concern. But, there were still those little things munching away at the back of my mind. I still didn't want to go to college and leave home. I didn't want Bobby to go back on the road like he always did. I didn't want Jack to start up another band so he could go back to New York. I didn't want Angel to think about marrying Sofi so that he'd leave me to. I didn't want Jerry to work so hard that I hardly ever saw him. I didn't want anything to change. I just wanted everything to stay the same. But, nothing was the same anymore. Mom was gone and that had changed everything. Mom had made us a family. Mom had brought us all into this house. Mom had given me all that I loved. And with her death went everything else as well.

Shit, I was beyond stressed. This was one of those times I itched for drugs. Considering my record, I think a cigarette would have to do.

I flicked Jack's lighter until the flame lit the tip of the cigarette between my lips. I smirked at the humor in this. I pestered Jack all the time to quit. But, here I was, sneaking a smoke at four in the morning. Well, I was only doing it this once and then never again. Hold up. Wasn't that what I said right before I got hooked on those nifty little delights known as marijuana and crack? Holding the cigarette out in front of my eyes, I wondered if I should just throw it away before I got addicted. I scoffed and took another drag from the little stick. Cigarettes were never my thing. Jack could keep them, because I wasn't a fan.

"It's got me smoking, Mom," I whispered to the heavens. I could even feel Mom's spirit scolding me for what I was doing. Or, that might be someone else.

"Sam?"

I looked like the cat that had swallowed the canary as I whirled around to find Jack staring at me from the front door. Though I chuckled when I saw it was just him. If any of my other brothers had caught me, I wouldn't have had a chance in hell of explaining myself. But, Jack had been in my place more times than I could count and wasn't any different than me.

"What the hell are you doing?" Jack demanded, shutting the door as he came to sit beside me on the porch steps.

"Having a smoke," I mumbled past the cigarette. I know Jack was slow on uptake at times, but damn.

"I can see that," Jack scoffed, snatching the cigarette from my mouth. "Where did you get it?"

I smirked, lightheartedly humming and jerking my head in his direction. His ever-changing eyes narrowed as he took over smoking the cigarette.

"I thought I told you to stay out of my pockets," Jack said, breathing smoke out of his mouth.

"It was my turn to do laundry. You know you always leave things in your pockets," I chuckled.

"I don't want you smoking," Jack told me, sounding so like Bobby that I did a double take. Bobby was the hard as nails man; not Jack.

"Is that an order?" I asked, snagging the cigarette again.

I inhaled sharply through my teeth and closed my hand into a fist. Jack just about broke my wrist when he seized it to keep me from putting the cigarette to my lips. He plucked the cigarette from my fingers and tossed it in the melting snow on the sidewalk. Thanks a lot, Jack. There went my therapy.

"I'm not kidding, Sam," Jack said in that deep, somber voice of his. "You shouldn't be smoking."

"You smoke," I reminded him, defensive. I had one stinking cigarette. He had a pack every week. Who was gonna die from multiple nicotine fixes?

"So you want to be like me?" Jack made it sound as if he was supposed to be the most disturbing thing in the world I could ever encounter.

"News flash, Jackie, I'm already like you," I hissed, using his nickname I only ever spoke when I was trying to get a point across. "Scratch that. I'm worse than you."

"That's not true," Jack said before I got out the last word, downplaying the person I had once been and still could be.

"We both know that it is. Sure, you smoke like cigarettes are being obliterated tomorrow. I can even give you props for cutting and attempts of suicide."

Jack reflexively pulled his sweatshirt sleeves lower on his arms when I mentioned the pale white lines on his skin. I didn't mean to be cruel towards him. But, I didn't play nice when I was this far on edge.

"You were nowhere near as bad as me. I did terrible shit to all of you guys. I know I don't remember half of the episodes I had during withdrawal back then. But, I'm not stupid." I screwed my eyes shut, hating to think about who I used to be. "I hurt you, Jack. I got Bobby, Jerry, and Angel a number off times to. I even attacked Mom if she got in my way when I wanted drugs. I'd wake up the next morning and ask you how Mom got a bruise on her shoulder or face. You never, ever told me. But, I knew. Do you have any idea what that did to me? I needed drugs so bad that I would hurt my own family. I hate myself for it, Jack."

"That's why I don't want you near my cigarettes!" Jack spat all of a sudden and I flinched, not expected the gentlest of my brothers to blow up at me.

"What?" I questioned, not getting it.

Jack softened his tone. "Sam, I'm not as blind as I pretend to be. I know what you were going through and how hard it was for you to deal with it when you found out what you did during your episodes. That's the reason you shouldn't be touching cigarettes. Because, I know sooner or later you'll take it too far. I'm sorry to say it. But, you take everything too far. You burden yourself with everybody else's problems till you don't see what it does to you. It stresses you like hell."

"Jack, I swear to you that I am taking care of no one else's issues but my own. Regrettably, that 'issue' has to be Jayla," I sighed, my eyes traveling up to the window of our bedroom.

A smirk that I knew could make women swoon crossed Jack's face and he followed my gaze. "Why do you think I'm down here with you? She woke up to go to the bathroom, muttering how she hates you for keeping her prisoner here. Oh, she wanted me to tell you that your bed is lumpy."

Sounded like Jayla. The little bitch. "Well, I'll just take it back and make her pampered behind sleep on the couch."

"That works for me," Jack said softly, leaning back on his elbows.

I elbowed him in the side as I laughed. I was totally waiting for him to say that.

"Of course it does. You two aren't exactly alike," I said, copying his position.

"She reminds me of Sofi," Jack told me.

The skin between my eyebrows wrinkled as I pictured my bratty sister and my brother's spicy girlfriend. I only laughed harder when I realized that Jack was right.

"She does, doesn't she? No wonder Angel doesn't mind her," I said, giggling.

A gust of wind swept over us, causing Jack's bangs to flutter and my long hair to fly wildly above me until it wrapped around my head. I spat hair out of my mouth as I quickly clawed the rest out of my face so I could see. Jack chuckled and raked his fingers through my hair, succeeding in saving me from suffocating from my own tresses. Tell me why I had this much hair again? I felt like a damn animal. Try shaving my head and you'd have a fine fur coat for the winter.

"Let's go in. We're both gonna be dead in the morning," Jack said, pushing himself onto his long legs. Yes, I was jealous. I could use some of his height.

"It's already morning." I mildly pointed out how light the sky was getting outside.

"All the more reason to get our butts in bed."

"I don't have my bed. Remember?" I said, my face becoming a mock babyish pout that was identical to Jayla's.

I accepted Jack's hand and he dragged me to my feet. I stretched, my tired body pissed at me for not going to sleep earlier. The wind blew again and I curled up instantly to shield myself from the cool late winter, early spring weather.

"When did it get so cold?" I complained, rubbing the goosebumps on my arms.

"When you decided to sit out here in nothing but a t-shirt and my boxers," Jack snickered, eyeing the shorts I had on when he saw they weren't shorts at all.

"You can pick on me for my choice of clothing later. There's a couch with my name on it," I yawned, jogging up the steps and going into the house.

"You can take my bed if you want," Jack offered, stopping at the staircase as I headed for the couch.

"No way. I'll take this spine killer over Jayla any day," I said and plopped down on the couch.

Jack glared at me as I smiled sweetly. "Behind those big brown eyes, you're evil. You know that, right?"

I cackled like a witch and gave him a wink before he went upstairs; taking his time just incase Jayla was still awake. I watched him leave as I snuggled underneath a blanket. I could always talk to Jack. No matter the subject, Jack was there to talk. Hey, sometimes he merely listened and didn't have to say a word. He knew I liked the company; just like he did. I wasn't kidding when I said we were alike. While I had parts of all my brothers in me; I had the most in common with Jack. I guess it could have something to do with the fact we were screwed in the head a bit more than the rest of the Mercers. Ain't that a kick?

(Okay, people. Tell me this. Am I doing something wrong? Because only a few of you seemed to like my last two chapters. What am I missing, huh? Tell me. Oh, my god. I've lost my touch, haven't I? Just kidding.)


	20. Cleaning Up The Mess

(Alright, I know it was a wait. But, I had writer's block going on here. I still kind of do. But, after watching the Four Brother's movie for the hundredth time, I think I got motivated again. Isn't it amazing what movies can do? Enjoy the chapter.)

Where were we in the past? Oh, yeah. Jack cutting himself.

After that incident, Mom had no choice but to find Jayla a place to stay. Having a five-year-old in the house during the chaos of my and Jack's return was just out of the question at the time. So, Jayla went to stay with some of Mom's friends until Mom could find a nice home for her. That left me as the sole child to keep information from.

Discovering that Jack was a cutter sent the whole house into disarray. Not that the house wasn't that way before. It just got worse. Jack spent everyday walled up in our room, which I wasn't allowed into until all cooled down. While my brothers could go up to the room and see how Jack was doing, I was kept in the dark about everything since I was the baby of the family.

"**I hate you," I pouted as I sat the kitchen table.**

"**After hearing 'I hate you' thirty-seven times, Sam, it's starting to get old," Bobby sighed as he drank from his beer bottle.**

"**It's true though," I huffed, folding my arms and thumping them hard on the kitchen table.**

"**She still whining?" Angel asked Bobby as he strolled into the kitchen.**

"**You know she is. It's your shift." Bobby patted Angel on the back on his way out. "Good luck with her, man."**

**Angel got the ham, cheese, lettuce, and mustard out to make a sandwich as I resumed my complaints.**

"**You guys are no fair," I said, sliding the salt shaker back and forth on the table with my hands.**

"**How many times are you going to say that?" Angel wondered, glancing at me.**

"**Until you let me see Jack," I said, smiling sweetly; getting my hopes up.**

"**No." My spirit crashed and burned.**

"**You suck."**

**I laid my head on my arms as Angel took a seat beside me, sandwich stacked like the Leaning Tower of Pisa in front of him. He smacked his lips before tearing into the delicious snack. Poor sandwich. It didn't stand a chance.**

**Glancing at the slop packed between two pieces of bread, I felt my mouth water. Do I have the nuttiest appetite or what?**

"**Can I have a bite?"**

**Angel paused in his eating long enough to grin at me with his pearly whites and then took another chomp to aggravate me.**

"**I thought I sucked," he mumbled, his mouth full.**

"**You will suck even more if you don't give me some of that," I said, reaching for the sandwich.**

**Angel held it away from me, shaking his head.**

"**I don't think so, Jaws. You had your chance before and you lost it," he snickered, chewing the sandwich nice and slow as I glared at him.**

"**Please, Angel," I begged in my best little sister tone.**

"**Nope," Angel denied, licking mustard off of his finger.**

"**Pretty please," I tried again, hugging his arm.**

"**Don't think so," he said in a singsong voice.**

"**Pleeeeeaaaaasssseee," I groaned, stretching over his lap as if I would die without that sandwich.**

"**I'll give you a bite if you shut up," he said as I continued to moan pathetically. "Who taught you to beg like that?"**

"**Bobby," I told him.**

**I took the sandwich from him and shoved just about half of it in my mouth.**

"**Hey! That's got to be the biggest damn bite I've ever seen!" Angel hissed, snatching his food back.**

"**I'm a growing girl," I said in my defense while chewing on a load of meat, lettuce, and bread.**

"**Can't argue with ya there. You are kinda shrimpy," Angel laughed.**

**I punched him in the side and he held back a wince, trying not to let on that I was getting stronger.**

"**Where are you going?" he asked as I hopped down from the chair and headed out of the kitchen.**

"**I was just going to go watch some TV," I said and gave him a shrug.**

"**Yeah, right," he snorted, putting his plate in the sink after finishing off the sandwich.**

"**I am," I said, leaving the room.**

**Instead of heading right to go to the living room, I made a left for the stairs. I only got six steps up before something darted past me and I collided with Angel's chest.**

"**You think you're real slick, don't ya?" Angel said, grabbing the straps of Jerry's hand-me-down overalls I wore.**

**I protested as he dragged me down the stairs and into the living room.**

"**Jerk," I snarled when he tossed me onto the couch.**

"**Love you too, Sam," he said as he plopped down next to me and hooked his fingers around my straps again when I moved to get up.**

"**Let go." I pulled at his wrist and his hand slipped from my clothes.**

"**We told you, Sammy Girl. You can't see Jack yet."**

"**Why not? You guys get to see him," I said, my eyebrows lowering in a frown. "Is this because I'm a girl or because I'm the baby?"**

"**Neither," Angel yawned and flicked through the channels on TV.**

"**Then what is it? I haven't seen Jack since that night I got kicked out of my room," I huffed, stealing the remote from him.**

"**It's grown-up stuff," Angel said, weaseling his arm around my other side to swipe the remote back.**

"**You're not a grown-up," I pointed out; though I forgot he was about to graduate high school.**

"**I'm older than you," he argued.**

"**Who cares? Jack's my brother too. Why do you get to see him and I can't?"**

"**You ask too many questions," Angel said before I got a face full of pillow.**

"**That's because you don't answer them when I ask you," I growled, my voice muffled behind the pillow.**

**I kicked at Angel until he quit smothering with Mom's throw pillow.**

"**Why can't I see Jack?" I refused to give up.**

"**There's some stuff going on with Jack right now and it's not good stuff. We just don't want to upset you," Angel said, being honest with me for the first time in days.**

"**I knew this was about me being the youngest," I spat, jumping off the couch and darting for the stairs.**

"**Sam!" Angel yelled, after me in a split-second. "Freeze, ya roadrunner!"**

**While I was looking at him behind me, I should have been watching my front. I smacked into what I thought could have been a brick wall and bounced off of it to land flat on my backside. As I shook my head to clear it of dizziness, I heard Angel walk up to stand over me.**

"**See. That's what you get for trying to be sneaky," Angel laughed.**

"**Shut up, Angel," snapped the voice of our oldest brother.**

**Strong hands came under my arms and picked me up. As soon as Bobby had me on my feet, I spun and socked Angel in the stomach. He grunted and scrunched his face.**

"**What the hell was that for?" he demanded.**

"**Do I need a reason?" I scoffed.**

"**I thought I told you to shut up, Angel!" Bobby shouted suddenly and I jumped back against Angel at the sharp tone.**

"**Why you only mad at me? She was the one making a break for it," Angel said, knocking my head with his knuckles. I elbowed him in the gut, wishing I could aim lower without getting in trouble.**

"**Because I need to talk to just you," Bobby said, no humor in his dark eyes.**

**Angel and I both set aside the joking when we saw how serious Bobby was. Whatever he wanted to say to Angel couldn't be good.**

"**What's up?" I asked, all business.**

"**This ain't for your ears," Angel said, giving me a soft push towards the kitchen.**

**I parted my lips to complain about how unfair things were for the millionth time. Bobby shushed me before I got a word out and tugged fondly on my long French braid.**

"**Sam, go and play outside while we talk," Bobby said.**

"**If this is about Jack, I'm a part of it too," I said, sick and tired of being kicked out of rooms.**

"**This is about me and Angel. So, go jump rope or something until I come to get you."**

**Reluctant as hell with a heap of heated words in Spanish, I trudged through the kitchen and out the back door. Though I respected Bobby, that didn't mean I always did as I was told. Running around to the front of the house, I opened the porch door and sat on the floor in front of the house door. Pressing my ear to the wood, I closed my eyes and listened in on the conversation happening on the other side.**

"**What do you mean the cops are on to us?" Angel yelled.**

"**Keep your voice down. I don't want Ma to hear. She's got enough on her with Jack right now," Bobby said and I heard him pacing.**

"**So, what's this mess with the cops?"**

"**Well, you know Green is against our family ever since he got that promotion. But, he's a fair man and won't let us go down without a fight."**

"**Go down?" I heard the question in Angel's voice.**

"**They found the bodies, Angel."**

"**What bodies?" Angel demanded.**

"**The bodies of Jack's dad and brother. Remember, we never got rid of the bodies?" Bobby reminded him and my eyes grew two more sizes. When had all of this happened and how come I didn't know about it?**

"**You said we shouldn't have worried about hiding them," Angel said, his breathing picking up.**

"**I know," Bobby sighed, pausing in his pacing before starting again. "I was sure the police wouldn't find them all the way out there. Shit! I knew in my gut that it was a dumb idea. I was just so pissed about what they did to Jackie that I didn't think."**

"**What do the cops know?" Angel asked.**

"**They don't know it was us. But, who else are they going to think it is? Green said they'll be coming down here any day to try and pin the murders on us."**

"**But, they got nothing on us. They can't get us, Bobby."**

"**Don't lose it now, Angel. I need you to keep your cool."**

"**What did you two do?"**

**Jerry had just interrupted them, coming from upstairs.**

"**The cops are out for us," Angel answered him.**

"**That's nothing new," Jerry scoffed and then got quiet real quick. "This isn't about that night you two took off to handle that 'business' you said you had?"**

"**Looks like we didn't clean up our tracks as well as we should have," Bobby said.**

"**I told you that you should have just left it alone, Bobby! The police would have put those two away. But, you just had to do it yourself," Jerry hissed in a hushed tone so Mom wouldn't overhear anything.**

"**The police? Are we talking about the same police, Jerry? Because if we are, you got to be a crackhead. They're great are being dirty cops. But, don't ever ask one of them to arrest someone when it actually counts. All that would have happened to those two is that they'd get off on bail or have only a few years in the joint like before. That's how all this started again, man. They got out and they hurt Jack. I wasn't having them coming after Jack a third time. They signed their death certificates the minute they touched our brother."**

**Footsteps moved across the floor as Jerry walked over to Bobby.**

"**I get that, Bobby. I love Jack just as much as you do. Don't ever forget it. But, all I'm saying is that we're in it deep now. We got two dead men, the cops looking to arrest us for it, and Jack's problems on top of that," Jerry said. As usual, he was laying out everything so we could come up with a plan.**

"**Ma's dealing with Jack. You keep an eye on Sam. Angel can go to Green and see if he'll help us out. I'll figure out what to do about the cops," Bobby gave out the orders.**

"**How are we supposed to keep this from Ma, let alone Sam? Sam will sniff this out in a heartbeat. And we can't hide anything from Ma," Angel said with a deep breath.**

"**Ma's covered. All her attention is on Jack. And it's Jerry's job to keep Sam busy. Besides, we can work on all of this while she's at school. That way, she'll be out of the house," Bobby said, thinking he was clever in his attempt to hide this from me.**

"**Where's Sam now?" Jerry asked.**

"**She's out back playing," Angel answered.**

"**What if we can't make this go away?" Jerry asked, always the brother to ask that one question.**

"**I'll make it go away, Jerry," Bobby said, cracking his knuckles. "I can promise you that."**


	21. One More Little Cut

(Here's a new update, guys. **Please**, read this part if you're a longtime fan or even a newbie too. I always feel my stories lose their appeal if they get too long. So, after this chapter I'm starting 'Five Brother: A Look Into The Past – Part 2'. I just wanted to inform all of you about it. And for those of you who don't read this message right now, it'll be there for you again at the end of this chapter.)

Between the stress of not knowing what was going on with Jack and having no idea how to help my other three brothers out, I was not exactly a happy little girl. Starting to see why being the youngest ain't so fun half the time? Where's an inhaler when you need one?

So, where do I go from here? I don't really want to jump straight ahead and tell what Bobby's plan was to get the cops off our back. That'll have your jaws dropping. It sure had me throwing a fit.

Hey, how about we go back to someone we haven't seen in awhile? Jack.

Now, I'm not sure I have all the details on this. But, Jack confides in me and this is some of what he told me happened while I was evicted from our room.

**For days, Jack had an itch that he kept telling himself he just didn't want to scratch. Every time a door shut, every time he heard footsteps, every time he saw a shadow beneath his door that crawling feeling in his skin came back. But, he'd promised. He'd promised his brothers. He'd promised his Mom. He said he'd never do that to himself again. Still, as the days went by it got harder and harder to control the urge to grab something sharp and put it to his arm.**

**Jack sat on his bed as he dried his hair with a towel, fresh from the shower. Showers helped. At least they weren't like the baths Dan had forced him to take; the baths were something could hold you down in the bathtub and…**

**Dropping the towel, Jack got up and walked across the room to clear his mind of the thought that had invaded it. Jack glanced at the little mirror Evelyn had hung on the wall in an effort to get him to comb his unruly hair out. When he saw his reflection, he saw so many different things. He saw a gentle and creative teenager, like his mom saw. He saw a scrawny needed-to-be-always-be-protected kid, like his brothers saw. And he saw a beautiful dirty blond, aqua eyed boy, like Dan and Connor saw.**

**Jack ripped the mirror from the wall and slammed it down on the dresser at the final thought. He didn't want to think about 'those two'. If he forgot them then he could just be happy with his family and feel safe again in what seemed like forever when it had only been a few months. Why couldn't things go back to the way they were before he went to go live with Dan and Connor? But, if Jack thought about it, where was he before Evelyn took him in and he became part of something special? He was with his father and brother from the start.**

**The itch was back. Jack rubbed his arms and twitched in discomfort as he paced his room restlessly. His eyes fell to his arm, taking in the gashes he'd made with a pair of scissors just days ago. People had injured him enough in his life. Why did he want to add to that? He didn't know. All he knew was that he needed a cut. One little nick couldn't hurt.**

**He checked everywhere: The desk, his book bag, and even the drawer where he used to hide his toothbrush during his first year with Evelyn. There was nothing to cut himself with whatsoever in the room. Bobby and Evelyn had basically stripped the room of all things sharp after Jack had cut himself. They were making sure that he didn't have a choice but to quit his new addiction.**

**The mirror.**

**Jack went over to the desk and turned over the mirror he had taken down. The glass was cracked in several places, light reflecting off of all the broken pieces. Bringing the mirror down on the dresser again, Jack was pleased as he listened to the mirror shatter. Glass rained down on the floor. Snatching up the largest piece he found, Jack skimmed a finger over the jagged edges.**

"**Jack, stop it."**

**It had only been a whisper. But, Jack heard it and shot his head up to find Evelyn standing in the door of his bedroom. Shame overwhelmed him and he gripped the shard until it dug into the palm of his hand, nearly breaking the skin.**

"**Jack." Evelyn spoke his name as calm and non-judgmental as ever.**

"**I can't," Jack said, hiding the shard behind his back as if that would make Evelyn forget he had it.**

"**Jack," Evelyn repeated herself and moved into the room.**

"**It'll be just this one time," Jack promised.**

"**You know it won't, Jack," Evelyn said.**

"**I need it," Jack panted, fiddling with the glass. The itchiness in his arms had intensified.**

"**You don't," Evelyn told him.**

"**Can't you just let me…?"**

"**No," she whispered one final time with a shake of her head.**

**Jack closed his hand tighter around the glass piece and a sticky liquid dripped between his fingers. One drop hit the floor with an audible splash in the silence. Evelyn's gaze landed on the blood and she fixed Jack with a stare he had never dared to challenge.**

"**Can I have the glass, Jack?" she asked, not letting him get his way while not ordering him either.**

"**I'll only do one more cut," Jack pleaded.**

**Evelyn shook her head promptly and sat on Jack's bed. Although she could understand Jack's craving to do this to himself, that didn't mean she'd stand by and let him continue coping with his troubles this way. Forcing him to get past this was not the way to do it. If Jack was going to stop, somewhere along the way he was going to have to actually want to end it himself.**

"**I'll tell you the truth, Jack. This scares me. It's not just that you're hurting yourself. It's because for once in all the time I've known you, I can't find a way to help you. And you won't open up to me like you usually do. That really makes me worry, baby," Evelyn said and Jack could tell she was refraining from crying in front of him.**

"**I'm not trying to hurt you, Mom," Jack mumbled, keeping his eyes on his shoes.**

"**Then stop hurting yourself first."**

**Jack's eyes came up to meet hers then and stayed there.**

"**Every time you cut yourself, it's like you cut me. So, you might as well stick me with that glass in your hands."**

**Jack squeezed so hard on the glass that blood was running like a waterfall from his hand as Evelyn held out her arm for him to slice at.**

"**I wouldn't do that to you," Jack gasped.**

"**Then put down the glass," Evelyn said, not lowering her arm just yet.**

**It shocked Evelyn when, not a second later, the glass in Jack's hand clattered on the floor and Jack was left trembling in the middle of the room. Evelyn had been confident that Jack would drop the glass eventually. But, she never imagined that he'd do it almost without thought. Did she mean that much to him?**

"**Will you be okay now?" Jack asked, his voice vibrating.**

**Evelyn's lips were able to make a smile past her surprise. "I think so, Jack."**

**Getting up from the bed, Evelyn took Jack's uninjured hand and pulled him away from the pieces of the broken mirror, reminding him to be careful not to step on any of it.**

"**Let's go clean your hand," Evelyn said, instantly going into 'Mommy' mode as she wiped some of the blood off his hand with a tissue.**

"**No," Jack said, coming to a halt in the doorway. "That can wait. Can I talk to you?"**

"**Of course you can," Evelyn said and led him over to his bed.**

**Once they both sat down, Evelyn untied the blue scarf she was using as a headband and wrapped Jack's hand with it.**

"**You know what I'm going to say, don't you?" Jack asked with that cautious approach he'd always had since the beginning. It was part of his routine, so that he had no way of upsetting the person he was talking to.**

"**I don't know. Why don't you tell me what's on your mind?" Evelyn said, treating him exactly how she had the first time she met him and letting him speak his mind.**

**The corners of Jack's eyes narrowed and sighed heavily. Why did Evelyn always manipulate their conversations so that he ended up having to do the talking? Technically, he had been the one to ask if they could talk. So, that meant it was his job to speak first.**

**At last, Jack whispered, "I'm afraid to go to sleep. I'm afraid to go outside too. Every time I close my eyes or see an unfamiliar face, I think of them."**

**Evelyn didn't have to ask if 'them' meant Dan and Connor. Jack had referred to the two as 'them' since he came back home.**

"**I'm listening," Evelyn assured Jack when he checked to see if her attention was on him. This one time, he needed to be heard.**

"**Dan would hold his hands out in front of me like this." Jack showed his hands to Evelyn with his palms up. "And he would ask me, 'What do you thinking I'm going to do with these hands?'. And every time I answered him wrong he'd hit me or touch me somewhere. He said, 'That's all I can do to you with my hands'." **

**Jack stared at his own hands, caught in the memory of the weeks of torture he had to undergo by the hands of his father. Not able to stand the vacant look in his eyes, Evelyn pushed Jack's hands back down and slid closer to him. The boy stiffened, his natural impulse, and Evelyn tried to not feel offended by it.**

"**Jack, the things that your father and brother did won't ever go away. I know that, because it was the same when I first met you. But, you didn't let your past stop you before. Don't give up now, honey," Evelyn said, brushing a hand over Jack's soft hair.**

**Jack shook his head as he bent it low so Evelyn wouldn't see the tears building in his eyes. She didn't understand how scared he was. No matter how long his father and brother stayed away or were locked up, it didn't matter. They were in Jack's head and wouldn't leave.**

"**I see them all the time. They're in my nightmares. Every time I turn around, I expect Dan to show up and smack me with a belt or Conner to run his hands all over my body me until I want to die. They have me, Mom; one way or another," Jack said, squeezing his eyes shut to try and block Conner's shouting from his mind.**

"**No. I have you, Jack. I have you," Evelyn tried to get Jack to listen.**

"**I'll never escape them," Jack said and his voice finally cracked as he began crying.**

"**Jack, look at me," Evelyn said, sliding off his bed and kneeling in front of him. "Jackie."**

**At the use of the nickname he had come to love, Jack raised his gaze to meet Evelyn's. Tears rolled down his cheeks and made his hopeless eyes shine. Evelyn just wanted to keep the child locked away for the rest of his life so nothing could hurt him again. But, she knew that wouldn't help. Jack needed something to challenge him now and then. It's what kept him from surrendering to his agony.**

**Jack saw no sign of the natural warmth that was always on Evelyn's face as she looked at him. Jack turned his eyes downward as he felt Evelyn's hands on his lap. She patted his knee comfortingly before turning her hands over, her palms raised towards the sky; just like he had told her Dan did it. Instantly, Evelyn's hands flashed to Dan's hands in his mind. The soft, gentle fingers that caressed his hair when he was scared changed into the rough, brutal ones that wrapped around his throat like snakes, trying to choke the life from him.**

**But, even though he saw Dan's hands, Jack heard Evelyn's voice. "I know bad things happened to you before you came to me. Hey, look at me."**

**Jack tore his gaze away from the hands and blinked as he tried not to imagine Dan's evil black eyes glaring at him instead of Evelyn's beautiful blue ones staring at him tenderly.**

"**But, you're safe now," Evelyn promised Jack, knowing the boy heard her even through the haze in his mind.**

'**Safe' was all Jack heard and Dan's face slowly changed back into Evelyn's, smiling at him. Jack glanced around his room, waiting for Dan to appear anywhere else, but nothing happened.**

"**What do you think I'm going to do with these hands?"**

**Jack whimpered and his eyes grew twice their normal size as Evelyn repeated Dan's words back to him. He shook his head at her, hoping she was only teasing.**

"**What do think I'm going to do?" Evelyn asked, holding her hands up higher so that Jack stared at them.**

"**I don't want to answer," Jack whispered, not believing that Evelyn was doing what Dan did to him.**

"**Tell me, Jack," Evelyn pushed on.**

**Jack couldn't fight it any longer and tears ran down his cheeks. All these years, he'd thought Evelyn was different than the others that had taken him in. But, she had been lying to him, just waiting for Jack to become vulnerable and beat the living daylights out of him. And to think he had believed that he loved Evelyn like a mother; his mother.**

**Jack flinched when Evelyn took his hands, waiting for her to drag him off the bed and afflict some kind of pain on him. But, Evelyn didn't move, just holding Jack's hands and rubbing her thumb over the back of his left hand.**

"**This is what you should think I'm going to do with my hands," Evelyn said to Jack, giving his hands a small shake.**

**Evelyn released one of Jack's hands and reached up to brush the boy's tears away.**

"**That's also something you should think I'm going to do with my hands."**

**Last, Evelyn stood and moved closer to Jack. As Jack watched her in wonder, Evelyn brushed back his hair before gently taking his face in her hands and pressing a kiss to his forehead. Slipping a hand under Jack's chin, Evelyn tipped his head up so that Jack looked her in the eye.**

"**I'd never use my hands to hit you or harm you ever. I can't do anything with these hands but show my love for you, Jackie," Evelyn told him, kissing his cheek. "I know it's hard for you to tell who will hurt you and who won't. But, I certainly hope you know with me."**

**Finding himself shivering, Jack opened his mouth to answer her. Nothing came out. Jack couldn't put together the words for how he felt in his brain. Still, Evelyn got the message. She read Jack's eyes easier than she would read a book. That's what Jack loved about her. She heard him even when he hadn't made a sound.**

"**I know, Jackie. I know," she murmured, putting her arms around him. "Remember how I once told you what it all meant for you to be adopted and have a last name?"**

**Jack nodded slowly, wondering how she had come to recall that all of a sudden.**

"**Well, I always said these things to you. But, I never really showed you," Evelyn said and Jack glanced at her.**

**Maybe he had blown a few of her brain cells with his confessions. Because she seemed more like him at the moment, bringing up random things like the adoption he had so idiotically turned down four years back.**

**But, Evelyn continued and then Jack grasped where she was going with it. "I don't just see myself as your guardian anymore, Jack. I want to adopt you."**

(**Please**, read this part if you're a longtime fan or even a newbie too. I always feel my stories lose their appeal if they get too long. So, after this chapter I'm starting 'Five Brother: A Look Into The Past – Part 2'. I just wanted to inform all of you about it.)


	22. Fans!

Hey, you guys. This is not an updated chapter. But, read it anyway or pay the price. Lol. Anyway, you all know I'm re-writing most of my stories. I'm about in the middle of each story now. So, before I finish, I'd love to know if you guys want to see anything happen in my stories or have any suggestions. I've been dying to let the fans have their say. So, send me an e-mail or review and I'll pick the ideas I like best to add to my stories. Trust that you will be credited for you help. I'm not into stealing people's creativity. Love you all. And hope to be back in the game by the beginning of the school year.


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